Ecotopia Biketour Wiki - User contributions [en]

Fundraising

2014-02-06T03:03:02Z

Globalvegan: /* 2013 */

==Future possibilities==

*How would BT Ideally like to be funded? Add you suggestions here! [[BT Future Funding Possibilities]]

==2014==
BT are applying to the following funds:

* Youth in Action EVS - Greek Agency [S & BT Orgs] (deadline 1st May / 1st October 2013)

==2013==
BT are applying to the following funds:[email info[at]ecotopiabiketour.net if you are able to help / support with any of the following the application]

Add your suggestions with links here, or you name if you can help with one of the suggestions.

Applications applied to:
* Youth in Action (EU) - European Voluntary Service (EVS) hosted in DE [http://www.jugend-in-aktion.de/aktionsbereiche/europaeischer-freiwilligendienst/] (UNSUCESSFUL)
* Edge Fund UK [http://edgefund.org.uk/what-we-fund/] [AO] - (APPLIED 22 APRIL)
* Edge Fund UK [http://edgefund.org.uk/what-we-fund/] [KB] - (APPLIED 22 APRIL - BT video working group)
*Camp for Climate Action UK leftover-funds as the group dissolved (Applied 15 MAY - UNSUCESSFUL)
* Youth in Action (EU) - Youth Exchange organised from AT [http://www.jugendinaktion.at/start.asp?ID=115&b=7] - (APPLIED 01 MAY by partner organisation for a comprehensive autumn meeting funding)

Applications in progress:
* Chatrity Pot [https://www.lush.co.uk/content/view/393] LUSH UK [KB looking into - happy for help] (no set deadline)
* XminY [https://www.xminy.nl/English] [KB looking into - happy for help] (no set deadline)

Applications you could help with:
* Lush Germany [http://www.lush-shop.de/] ??? [....] (no set deadline)
* Lush.com [http://lush.com/] - we could also apply to some of the countries we are passing through - this migh t have a better chance because there will be less 'competition' ??? [....] (no set deadline)
...

==2012==
BT recieved funds from:

* Youth in Action EVS

==2010==
BT successfully received funds from:

* Alert
* Artists Project Earth (Applied in a joint application with ArtsAdmin, based in London)
* XminY

*EVS
Friends of the Earth Flanders hosted one co-ordinator through their EVS grant, but they applied for it themselves and we jumped in for the biketour project to be part of it.

== 2009 ==
See [[Links BT 2009 - Balkans#Donations]] & [[Meeting minutes/Felt the heat#Finances]] [ [[User:Mars|Marcha]] ]

==Budget & Projest Plan examples==

For fundraising you need a budget and a project plan.
See [[Projectplan 2009|here]] for an example project plan.

Fundraising

2014-02-06T02:26:38Z

Globalvegan: /* 2010 */

==Future possibilities==

*How would BT Ideally like to be funded? Add you suggestions here! [[BT Future Funding Possibilities]]

==2014==
BT are applying to the following funds:

* Youth in Action EVS - Greek Agency [S & BT Orgs] (deadline 1st May / 1st October 2013)

==2013==
BT are applying to the following funds:[email info[at]ecotopiabiketour.net if you are able to help / support with any of the following the application]

Add your suggestions with links here, or you name if you can help with one of the suggestions.

Applications applied to:
* Youth in Action (EU) - European Voluntary Service (EVS) hosted in DE [http://www.jugend-in-aktion.de/aktionsbereiche/europaeischer-freiwilligendienst/] (UNSUCESSFUL)
* Edge Fund UK [http://edgefund.org.uk/what-we-fund/] [AO] - (APPLIED 22 APRIL)
* Edge Fund UK [http://edgefund.org.uk/what-we-fund/] [KB] - (APPLIED 22 APRIL - BT video working group)
* Youth in Action (EU) - Youth Exchange organised from AT [http://www.jugendinaktion.at/start.asp?ID=115&b=7] - (APPLIED 01 MAY by partner organisation for a comprehensive autumn meeting funding)

Applications in progress:
* Chatrity Pot [https://www.lush.co.uk/content/view/393] LUSH UK [KB looking into - happy for help] (no set deadline)
* XminY [https://www.xminy.nl/English] [KB looking into - happy for help] (no set deadline)

Applications you could help with:
* Lush Germany [http://www.lush-shop.de/] ??? [....] (no set deadline)
* Lush.com [http://lush.com/] - we could also apply to some of the countries we are passing through - this migh t have a better chance because there will be less 'competition' ??? [....] (no set deadline)
...

==2012==
BT recieved funds from:

* Youth in Action EVS

==2010==
BT successfully received funds from:

* Alert
* Artists Project Earth (Applied in a joint application with ArtsAdmin, based in London)
* XminY

*EVS
Friends of the Earth Flanders hosted one co-ordinator through their EVS grant, but they applied for it themselves and we jumped in for the biketour project to be part of it.

== 2009 ==
See [[Links BT 2009 - Balkans#Donations]] & [[Meeting minutes/Felt the heat#Finances]] [ [[User:Mars|Marcha]] ]

==Budget & Projest Plan examples==

For fundraising you need a budget and a project plan.
See [[Projectplan 2009|here]] for an example project plan.

Talk:2013 Equipment

2013-03-25T00:08:32Z

Globalvegan: Created page with "It's laura here - the big square trailer used in 2012 belonged to someone in barcelona, so it wasn't collective biketour property once it got back to barcelona, so i took it off …"

It's laura here - the big square trailer used in 2012 belonged to someone in barcelona, so it wasn't collective biketour property once it got back to barcelona, so i took it off the list of our stuff :)

2013 Equipment

2013-03-25T00:07:03Z

Globalvegan: /* collective stuff from 2012 Biketour */

== collective stuff from 2012 Biketour ==

Equipment used last year, which is decentrally stored:

{| class="wikitable"
| '''What?'''
| '''Where? With whom?'''
| '''How and when to get to BT starting point?'''
|-
| [[Trailers]] (Bob 1)
| Vienna T
| between april and june
|-
| [[Trailers]] (Bob 2)
| Vienna S
| ????
|-
| [[Cooking utensils]] - Pots, cutting board, knifes, grider,
| Vienna T
| between april and june
|}

== collective stuff to get for 2013 Biketour ==

Can anyone bring the following stuff? More ideas of things we should definitively have (remember that we have to carry all of that! ;))
Write it down!

{| class="wikitable"
| '''What?'''
| '''Who can bring it?'''
| '''Where else to get it (cheaply or for free)?'''
|-
| Rocket Stove
| We can build it during the kick-off days (workshop)
| Material will be collected by coordinators in berlin. Notify us, if you already have the stuff and can bring it!
|-
| [[Medical Kit]]
| ...
| ...
|-
| [[Biketools]]
| ...
| ...
|-
| Big box for carrying spices, tea etc.
| ...
| ...
|-
| A laptop - so we can blog along the way!
| ...
| ...
|-
| Walkie-Talkies - (?)
| ...
| ...
|-
| Mobile phones and cheap prepaid SIM cards (preferably for all countries crossed)
| ...
| ...
|-
| Battery charger for batteries of bike lights or mobile devices
| ...
| ...
|-
| If possible ONE general BIODEGRADABLE shampoo, toothpaste and dishwash and a big handsoap?.
| ...
| ...
|}

== What will you bring to make biketour? ==

Add to the list!
* [[Propaganda Material]] - Booklets, leaflets, t-shirts, stickers, posters, screen printing equipment
** ...
* Additional Camping equipment for others to borrow
** ...
* Additional Bikes for people who need to borrow
** ...
* Music - songs, instruments, a pedal powered sound system?
** ...
* pedal powered projector and films related to the theme?
**...
*Crazy bikes?
**...

EVS Call out

2012-06-20T12:58:04Z

Globalvegan: /* 2013 EVS Biketour International Coordinators needed - Apply Now! */

If it decided that the biketour will again try to obtain EVS funding it is a good idea to begin looking for coordinators early so that there is time to look for hosts and go through the application process. The deadlines are well in advance and time is needed. It could also be a good idea to look for coordinators before the biketour of the previous year to give potential oganisers first hand experience of the tour which is really important to organise the tour.

=2013 EVS Biketour International Coordinators needed - Apply Now!=

Greetings bicycle lovers,

While we all get excited about the upcoming Ecotopia Biketour 2012 through Catalunya, France and Italy, the wheels are already in motion for next year's cycling adventures. Ecotopia Biketour 2013 is looking for volunteers to help make this happen through the European Voluntary Service scheme.

Every summer for over 20 years the Ecotopia Biketour has been promoting sustainable living throughout Europe. Pedalling through a different part of the continent every year, the Biketour is for anyone interested in do-it-yourself culture, social and ecological justice. Moving all our stuff by muscle power, the Biketour links with local environmental campaigns en route by both taking part in and organising actions and workshops. We create an international, mobile eco-community while visiting interesting places on our way: alternative, environmental, artistic projects and communities, natural areas and people struggling for ecological and social justice.

The theme and the route of the Biketour 2013 is open to be shaped by our ideas and inspiration.

The EVS position would ideally begin in February or March and last for 8 or 9 months.

We are looking for another 1 or 2 international co-ordinators to do EVS, and each volunteer will need to have an EVS "sending" organisation in their home country.

The EVS scheme will fund travel expenses to the host country, accommodation, food, insurance and pocket money for the volunteer. However, the position is not officially ‘paid.' The EVS scheme is open to those who are between 18 - 30 years old and live in a european country. If you are not in this category, get in touch as there are many other ways to get involved than through EVS so please contact us for more information.

The role of the EVS volunteers will involve:
* Helping to find a suitable EVS 'host' organisation where you will be based
* Getting to know local environmental campaigns in the region
* Participating in on-arrival EVS training
* Help organise and take part in a winter meeting of Biketour organisers and participants
* Update the Biketour community as the organisation progresses
* Updating/maintaining the Biketour website, and online social network accounts
* Keep information and media produced on the biketour wiki so future organisers may use it
* Writing funding applications
* Assisting Biketour participants with securing visas
* Promoting the Biketour on a European level
* Identifying groups/organisers in different countries and providing them with support
* Maintaining contact with different national/local groups and organising meetings
* (Possibly) cycle part of the route of the tour to test suitability, get know the hills etc.
* Assisting in the search for (preferably free) sleeping space along the route for 20+ cyclists, (ie: community projects, farms, squats, campsites, schools, community-halls etc.)
* Co-ordinate the Biketour's participation in actions and campaigns along the route, together with local activists (ie: Critical Mass, demonstrations, banners, leaflets, campaigns)
* Co-ordinate the translation of materials into local languages
* Responding to relevant enquiries from organisations of individuals
* Improving your skills of the host organisation's language
* Helping with the host organisation's other projects
* Co-ordinate the registration of participants
* Helping create and distributing route maps to biketour participants in summer 2013
* Take part in the entire biketour summer 2013
* follow up after the tour by writing relevant funding reports, uploading media to the website, and handing over tasks to the next international co-ordinators.

Our EVS volunteers must like bicycles and cycling, be good communicators and be willing to take the lead in organising an international project. They must agree with [http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/join-us/participation-guidelines the principles of the Biketour] and ideally have participated in the Ecotopia Biketour before. It is extremely advantageous to to participate in [http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/2012/05/07/registration-open the tour this summer] for at least a couple of weeks if you have not done so before.

Required skills:
* Speak and write well in English, as it is the common language of most Biketour participants
* Ability to communicate by email and telephone (mostly in English) and to organise parts of biketour from a distance as necessary
* Experience of online tools such as email-lists, maintaining websites, online forms, wikis, social network sites, blogging, etc
* Be able to work in a team and good at taking initiative
* Be able to make links with the local community and local activists
* Experience of building local campaigns and organising events or actions
* Experience in consensus decision making

Advantageous skills:
* Experience of bicycle-touring or participation in the Ecotopia Biketour
* Experience in producing leaflets, posters, press-releases and other written or visual materials
* Ability to speak and write languages of the route, and other European languages
* Ability to inspire other people to get active in organising the tour so there are more helping hands

Please do not hesitate to apply if you do not have all these skills but are willing and eager to learn. This is a great opportunity to gain skills and experience.

If you would like to apply for the position of International Co-ordinator for the 2013 Biketour, please email a letter of motivation with the subject "Biketour 2013 EVS" to info[at]ecotopiabiketour.net. Please include your relevant skills and experience, the name of your sending organisation (or one that you are in contact with) and as many contact details as possible.

Applications should be sent as soon as possible and must be received by July 2nd 2012.

* For more info on Biketour, past tours and photos: http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/
* Join the email list: https://lists.eyfa.org/mailman/listinfo/biketour
* For more info on EVS: http://eyfa.org/projects/evs_projects

=2012 EVS Biketour International Coordinators needed - Apply Now!=

Greetings bicycle lovers,

While we all get excited about the upcoming Ecotopia Biketour 2011 in Italy, the wheels are already in motion for next year's cycling adventures. Ecotopia Biketour 2012 is looking for volunteers to help make this happen through the European Voluntary Service scheme.

Every summer for 20 years the Ecotopia Biketour has been promoting sustainable living throughout Europe. Pedalling through a different part of the continent every year, the Biketour is for anyone interested in do-it-yourself culture, social and ecological justice. Moving all our stuff by muscle power, the Biketour links with local environmental campaigns en route by both taking part in and organising actions and workshops. We create an international, mobile eco-community while visiting interesting places on our way: alternative, environmental, artistic projects and communities, natural areas and people struggling for ecological and social justice.

The Biketour 2012 will be focusing on the topic of degrowth and related issues. A suggested route is from Catalunya, through France and into Italy, though there is much room for creativity in helping to shape the direction of the tour.

The EVS position would ideally begin at the start of December 2011 and last for 12 months.

We are looking for another 1 or 2 international co-ordinators to do EVS, and each volunteer will need to have an EVS "sending" organisation in their home country.

The EVS scheme will fund travel expenses to the host country, accommodation, food, insurance and pocket money for the volunteer. However, the position is not officially ‘paid.' The EVS scheme is open to those who are between 18 - 30 years old and resident of an EU country. If you are not in this category, there are many other ways to get involved so please contact us for more information.

The role of the EVS volunteers will involve:
- Helping to find a suitable EVS host organisation (We're currently looking for organisations in Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Italy & France)
- Getting to know local environmental campaigns in the region
- Participating in on-arrival EVS training
- Help organise and take part in a winter meeting of Biketour organisers and participants
- Update the Biketour community as the organisation progresses
- Updating/maintaining the Biketour website, and online social network accounts
- Keep information and media produced on the biketour wiki so future organisers may use it
- Writing funding applications
- Assisting Biketour participants with securing visas
- Promoting the Biketour on a European level
- Identifying groups/organisers in different countries and providing them with support
- Maintaining contact with different national/local groups and organising meetings
- (Possibly) cycle part of the route of the tour to test suitability, get know the hills etc.
- Assisting in the search for (preferably free) sleeping space along the route for 20+ cyclists, (ie: community projects, farms, squats, campsites, schools, community-halls etc.)
-Co-ordinate the Biketour's participation in actions and campaigns along the route, together with local activists (ie: Critical Mass, demonstrations, banners, leaflets, campaigns)
- Co-ordinate the translation of materials into local languages
- Respond to relevant enquiries from organisations of individuals
- Improving your skills of the host organisation's language
- Helping with the host organisation's other projects
- Co-ordinate the registration of participants
- Helping create and distributing route maps to biketour participants in summer 2012
- Take part in the entire biketour summer 2012
- follow up after the project (September - November 2012) by writing relevant funding reports, uploading media to the website, and handing over tasks to the next international co-ordinators.

Our EVS volunteers must like bicycles and cycling, be good communicators and be willing to take the lead in organising an international project. They must agree with the principles of the Biketour and, if they have not participated in the Ecotopia Biketour before, then it is an advantage to participate in the tour this summer for a couple of weeks.

Required skills:
- Speak and write well in English, as it is the common language of most Biketour participants
- Ability to communicate by email and telephone (mostly in English) and to organise parts of biketour from a distance as necessary
- Experience of online tools such as email-lists, maintaining websites, online forms, wikis, social network sites, blogging, etc
- Be able to work in a team and good at taking initiative
- Be able to make links with the local community and local activists
- Experience of building local campaigns and organising events or actions
- Experience in consensus decision making

Advantageous skills:
- Experience of bicycle-touring or participation in the Ecotopia Biketour
- Experience in producing leaflets, posters, press-releases and other written or visual materials
- Ability to speak and write languages of the route, and other European languages
- Ability to inspire other people to get active in organising the tour so there are more helping hands

Please do not hesitate to apply if you do not have all these skills but are willing and eager to learn. This is a great opportunity to gain skills and experience.

- For more info on Biketour, past tours and photos: http://www.thebiketour.net
- Join the email list: https://lists.eyfa.org/mailman/listinfo/biketour
- For more info on EVS: http://eyfa.org/projects/evs_projects
- For more information on Degrowth: http://www.degrowth.eu/

If you would like to apply for the position of International Co-ordinator for the 2012 Biketour, please email a letter of motivation with the subject "Biketour 2012 EVS" to info[at]ecotopiabiketour.net. Please include your relevant skills and experience, the name of your sending organisation and as many contact details as possible.

Applications should be sent as soon as possible and must be received by July 10th 2011.

BT 2011 advertising material

2011-07-28T19:09:42Z

Globalvegan:

= Ecotopia Biketour 2011 advertising materials=

Here we will keep the colection of materials used in 2011 to advertise the tour, so you can use, change and reuse them again :)

= Flyers =

[http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/biketour//2011/07/Flyer.pdf First version of the flyer] - sent to the org list before the BT start

[http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/biketour//2009/04/flyer-valentina.jpg italian front page], by valentina

= Poster =

[http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/biketour//2011/07/ecotopia-2011.pdf Poster in italian] i think valentina did it, it's beautiful :D

= Booklet =

Thanks to everyone who contributed!

Laura is trying to upload it and is having trouble....

Fundraising

2011-01-31T14:26:50Z

Globalvegan:

==2010==
BT received funds from:

* Alert
* Artists Project Earth
* XminY

what each fund could be used for: / conditions of funds:

==2009==
BT received funds from:

*
*
*

For fundraising you need a budget and a project plan. See [[Projectplan 2009|here]] for an example project plan

International Coordinator

2011-01-31T14:25:29Z

Globalvegan: /* fundraising */

=International Coordinator=
Guidelines

The international coordinator is the key person of biketour organising. he/she is like the spider on the information net, he/she has the overview, knows what is going on where, pulls the ropes to make things happen.
He/she is not the one to decide everything, decisions are taken by the organising bt community on meetings or on-line,
but he/she is the one to make sure, that those decisions and the distributed tasks are being done, as he/she has to carry the load of responsibility. He/she has to find people to do things (or people to find people ...), as all left-over tasks will be left to him/her. The better he/she manages to delegate, the smaller his/her work load will be in the end, and be sure it will be big anyways, as its hard to realise all the nice ideas coming up.

==tasks==
The tasks of an International Coordinator (IC) might include:

* shaping the project
* finding national and local coordinators, places of interest, campaigns 2 join, possible actions
* fundraising
* work on the information flow in the project
* visa's
* (international) press
* outreach
* maintaining the bt-archive
* guiding participants during the tour

The information below will give you the broad picture. Besides there are checklists, which help you to keep the overview and not to forget anything:
* [[Checklist for international organisers]]
* [[Checklist for national/local organisers]]
* [[Checklist for coordination of route and sleeping places]]

==shaping the project==

this should not be done by you, but in the first meeting after biketour. here we will talk about how the next year could look like, define the first rough route etc. take your inspiration from here and from the following meetings, when the face of this year will slowly unveil.

==finding people==

first you will have to find national organisers for a country we are going to pass. send out a mass email to all the known networks - find some on our [[Mailing list]]. ask friends and friendly groups for contacts and contact those via phone. invite people to the next meeting, e.g. the wintermeeting in january/february. try to have one national coordinator for every country after the winter meeting or continue searching.

Experienced bt-participants would be the best option, but you will have some enthusiastic new people on board as well. You need to take your time to introduce to them the bt-spirit. Tell them what it is all about and what is expected from them. They decide about the face of bt in their country, trust their ideas.

They will have to search for local organizers, sleeping places and action coordinators in their country, but you might be a great help, because international contacts often jump over borders in the national scene. the experienced bt-participants might as well have good contacts, ask on the list and specific people personally.

try to have a team of national organisers and to know them. people stop working for various reasons, because their life is taking a different route and needs their attention or because they did promise too much. it is good to have several people to talk to in case someone does not answer and you do not know what is going on.

"in 2005 we had nobody in Romania except radu, whom we reached via email and who is highly experienced in organising bike tours, he even claimed to have helped with a former bt in RO. Well, he just did not do his job. There was quite a bit of miscommunication involved and it seems to be a pattern in eastern europe, that you tend to get people via mail, who know a lot and promise much but then do not do their things. In Ukraine 2003 it was the same. Those persons then block interested local organisers. So you have to encourage them now."

It is really difficult to find trustworthy, dedicated, motivated organisers of any kind. Start as early as possible and as massive as possible with searching for help! Don't make the mistake not to! It's fairly difficult to organize anything big without a good team.

==fundraising==

To have money is very nice, but there is a hell lot of work connected to it. I Will not write a fundraising guide here. Be sure, that bt can survive on a 15 [[ecos|ecorate]] participation fee and nothing more to finance it. But you might have low quality food and no money to make meetings while organising. You can ask the EU or other funders like (inter)national foundations, embassies, local, regional or national governments, the biketour is a very appealing project. You can ask bt-people to do do concerts or other fundraising activities. Ask your parents or rich people you know.

Usefull funds might be: Haëlla, INNO (WWF), Matra-KAP (Dutch embassies), X-Y, Alert, Zwarte Zaad, fop.ba.

See the [[Fundraising]] page for more info from previous years!

==work on the information flow==

you will have to deal with the different national organiser teams, the international people helping, [http://www.worldcarfree.net wcn], [http://www.eyfa.org eyfa], interested subjects who want to participate or offer a sleeping place or a screening(?) organise next year.

You have to find your way to structure and store the information you create or receive so that you can always find what you need in no time. You need to provide all necessary and possible information on the web so that you can answer questions by sending people a link to the online text with the answer. This really saves you a lot of time and encourages people to read the information better.

try to make all information easy accessible on the web for your fellow organisers or interested groups, so that they do not have to ask you personally, but can find it themselves. people will put their things on the net as they think - you can put it in some kind of order for everyone easy to understand.

keep in touch with your fellow organisers, let them know, what your are doing and ask them, where they stand. phone them regularly! phoning is not work, its fun. find out, where they need help, and try to help them/ organise some help for them.

"2005 we had skype for the first time, and that was just great. i had 2-hour calls to banja luka and was totally informed. inspirations flowered in these calls, and in the end the bosnian part was the best organised that year."

keep the information flowing !

"2004 we had quite a sophisticated infrastructure on the web - but one thing is clear: personal communication is always better ! meet people, when you can, or phone them - do not rely too much on email. people tend to ignore them, or misunderstand you. info is only flowing into one direction, email are seldom inspiring."

Make sure to have several e-mails prepared in case anybody replies to your call for help.
This means that you have several different emails, explaining what will be the exact task for each replying person.

and again : phoning and meeting people is much better than emails. it is more easy to spread emails far, but many people only respond to them, when thy feel really appealed or involved. but if you ask someone personally he will answer, you can ask questions resulting from his answers, he will feel more involved ...

==visa :(==

keep the visa situation in mind. visa can be sooo tricky, reserve them a lot of space in your timetable. find out about visa rules and harass people from affected countries to register early. you will need invitations from the tour countries, maybe even more papers, the visa might have to be applied for and picked up personally at an embassy for away. but maybe there is some funding to pay visa costs? Read more about (help with) [[visa]]

==(international) press==

before the tour facilitate people to write articles for their local scene magazine.

for the tour coordinate an international press release, which can be translated into the local languages and adapted to local customs. it would be nice to have one person per country who can not join the tour but can serve a contact point for the media, who can be asked to send out press release and photos, answer questions etc.

==outreach==

as soon as the rough route is know make some email outreach - invite people from eyfa, wcn and other networks ->[[Mailing_list]]. inspire people to write articles for their local magazines.
during the tour you should have at least a flyer in the local language, translated from a common English version. but poster, sticker and an exhibition fixed to the trailers are also very nice to have. think of a t-shirt, and put the web address on all material you produce. keep the website up to date

==maintaining the archive==

use the wiki to archive every text you produce, someday someone can use it as inspiration or not to write the same thing again. keep it up to date and in good structure. during the tour collect everything you can get: receipts, pictures, articles ...

==guiding participants==

we do have the idea, that during the tour there are no organisers anymore, everyone helps etc. but you are a high profile member of the bt community, have more info and will be addressed by participants to answer questions and help out somehow. it is your decision how far you wanna let that get, but be aware that it will not be easy to escape.

==conclusion==

bt is a low cost project which can run on very basic things - basically a route. but it is the nicer, the more facilities we do have. so do your best to get a good tour together, but do not fear holes in the schedule, trust in bt ability to organise things on the spot. do not stress yourself too much to get a perfect tour, leave space for creativity.

International Coordinator

2011-01-31T14:25:08Z

Globalvegan: /* fundraising */

=International Coordinator=
Guidelines

The international coordinator is the key person of biketour organising. he/she is like the spider on the information net, he/she has the overview, knows what is going on where, pulls the ropes to make things happen.
He/she is not the one to decide everything, decisions are taken by the organising bt community on meetings or on-line,
but he/she is the one to make sure, that those decisions and the distributed tasks are being done, as he/she has to carry the load of responsibility. He/she has to find people to do things (or people to find people ...), as all left-over tasks will be left to him/her. The better he/she manages to delegate, the smaller his/her work load will be in the end, and be sure it will be big anyways, as its hard to realise all the nice ideas coming up.

==tasks==
The tasks of an International Coordinator (IC) might include:

* shaping the project
* finding national and local coordinators, places of interest, campaigns 2 join, possible actions
* fundraising
* work on the information flow in the project
* visa's
* (international) press
* outreach
* maintaining the bt-archive
* guiding participants during the tour

The information below will give you the broad picture. Besides there are checklists, which help you to keep the overview and not to forget anything:
* [[Checklist for international organisers]]
* [[Checklist for national/local organisers]]
* [[Checklist for coordination of route and sleeping places]]

==shaping the project==

this should not be done by you, but in the first meeting after biketour. here we will talk about how the next year could look like, define the first rough route etc. take your inspiration from here and from the following meetings, when the face of this year will slowly unveil.

==finding people==

first you will have to find national organisers for a country we are going to pass. send out a mass email to all the known networks - find some on our [[Mailing list]]. ask friends and friendly groups for contacts and contact those via phone. invite people to the next meeting, e.g. the wintermeeting in january/february. try to have one national coordinator for every country after the winter meeting or continue searching.

Experienced bt-participants would be the best option, but you will have some enthusiastic new people on board as well. You need to take your time to introduce to them the bt-spirit. Tell them what it is all about and what is expected from them. They decide about the face of bt in their country, trust their ideas.

They will have to search for local organizers, sleeping places and action coordinators in their country, but you might be a great help, because international contacts often jump over borders in the national scene. the experienced bt-participants might as well have good contacts, ask on the list and specific people personally.

try to have a team of national organisers and to know them. people stop working for various reasons, because their life is taking a different route and needs their attention or because they did promise too much. it is good to have several people to talk to in case someone does not answer and you do not know what is going on.

"in 2005 we had nobody in Romania except radu, whom we reached via email and who is highly experienced in organising bike tours, he even claimed to have helped with a former bt in RO. Well, he just did not do his job. There was quite a bit of miscommunication involved and it seems to be a pattern in eastern europe, that you tend to get people via mail, who know a lot and promise much but then do not do their things. In Ukraine 2003 it was the same. Those persons then block interested local organisers. So you have to encourage them now."

It is really difficult to find trustworthy, dedicated, motivated organisers of any kind. Start as early as possible and as massive as possible with searching for help! Don't make the mistake not to! It's fairly difficult to organize anything big without a good team.

==fundraising==

To have money is very nice, but there is a hell lot of work connected to it. I Will not write a fundraising guide here. Be sure, that bt can survive on a 15 [[ecos|ecorate]] participation fee and nothing more to finance it. But you might have low quality food and no money to make meetings while organising. You can ask the EU or other funders like (inter)national foundations, embassies, local, regional or national governments, the biketour is a very appealing project. You can ask bt-people to do do concerts or other fundraising activities. Ask your parents or rich people you know.

Usefull funds might be: Haëlla, INNO (WWF), Matra-KAP (Dutch embassies), X-Y, Alert, Zwarte Zaad, fop.ba.

See the [Fundraising] page for more info from previous years!

==work on the information flow==

you will have to deal with the different national organiser teams, the international people helping, [http://www.worldcarfree.net wcn], [http://www.eyfa.org eyfa], interested subjects who want to participate or offer a sleeping place or a screening(?) organise next year.

You have to find your way to structure and store the information you create or receive so that you can always find what you need in no time. You need to provide all necessary and possible information on the web so that you can answer questions by sending people a link to the online text with the answer. This really saves you a lot of time and encourages people to read the information better.

try to make all information easy accessible on the web for your fellow organisers or interested groups, so that they do not have to ask you personally, but can find it themselves. people will put their things on the net as they think - you can put it in some kind of order for everyone easy to understand.

keep in touch with your fellow organisers, let them know, what your are doing and ask them, where they stand. phone them regularly! phoning is not work, its fun. find out, where they need help, and try to help them/ organise some help for them.

"2005 we had skype for the first time, and that was just great. i had 2-hour calls to banja luka and was totally informed. inspirations flowered in these calls, and in the end the bosnian part was the best organised that year."

keep the information flowing !

"2004 we had quite a sophisticated infrastructure on the web - but one thing is clear: personal communication is always better ! meet people, when you can, or phone them - do not rely too much on email. people tend to ignore them, or misunderstand you. info is only flowing into one direction, email are seldom inspiring."

Make sure to have several e-mails prepared in case anybody replies to your call for help.
This means that you have several different emails, explaining what will be the exact task for each replying person.

and again : phoning and meeting people is much better than emails. it is more easy to spread emails far, but many people only respond to them, when thy feel really appealed or involved. but if you ask someone personally he will answer, you can ask questions resulting from his answers, he will feel more involved ...

==visa :(==

keep the visa situation in mind. visa can be sooo tricky, reserve them a lot of space in your timetable. find out about visa rules and harass people from affected countries to register early. you will need invitations from the tour countries, maybe even more papers, the visa might have to be applied for and picked up personally at an embassy for away. but maybe there is some funding to pay visa costs? Read more about (help with) [[visa]]

==(international) press==

before the tour facilitate people to write articles for their local scene magazine.

for the tour coordinate an international press release, which can be translated into the local languages and adapted to local customs. it would be nice to have one person per country who can not join the tour but can serve a contact point for the media, who can be asked to send out press release and photos, answer questions etc.

==outreach==

as soon as the rough route is know make some email outreach - invite people from eyfa, wcn and other networks ->[[Mailing_list]]. inspire people to write articles for their local magazines.
during the tour you should have at least a flyer in the local language, translated from a common English version. but poster, sticker and an exhibition fixed to the trailers are also very nice to have. think of a t-shirt, and put the web address on all material you produce. keep the website up to date

==maintaining the archive==

use the wiki to archive every text you produce, someday someone can use it as inspiration or not to write the same thing again. keep it up to date and in good structure. during the tour collect everything you can get: receipts, pictures, articles ...

==guiding participants==

we do have the idea, that during the tour there are no organisers anymore, everyone helps etc. but you are a high profile member of the bt community, have more info and will be addressed by participants to answer questions and help out somehow. it is your decision how far you wanna let that get, but be aware that it will not be easy to escape.

==conclusion==

bt is a low cost project which can run on very basic things - basically a route. but it is the nicer, the more facilities we do have. so do your best to get a good tour together, but do not fear holes in the schedule, trust in bt ability to organise things on the spot. do not stress yourself too much to get a perfect tour, leave space for creativity.

Fundraising

2011-01-31T14:23:35Z

Globalvegan: New page: In 2010, BT received funds from: * Alert * Artists Project Earth * XminY what each fund could be used for: / conditions of funds: In 2009, BT received funds from: * * *

In 2010, BT received funds from:

* Alert
* Artists Project Earth
* XminY

what each fund could be used for: / conditions of funds:

In 2009, BT received funds from:

*
*
*

Main Page

2011-01-31T13:32:16Z

Globalvegan: /* 2010 */

(''nb: to edit the wiki, you need to [[Special:Userlogin|login]] with your account. if you dont have one, you make it [[Special:Userlogin|here]])''

'''For general info on the biketour, surf to our primary website: http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net'''

==Welcome to the wiki of the ecotopia biketour==

===Information===
*[[What is bt]]?
*How to [[join]]
*[[What to bring]]
*[[Frequently asked questions]]
*[[Route]]: where we will be and when
*[[Map]]

=== Organizing 2011 ecotopia biketour ===
This is a self-organized tour!

No club, no ngo, no political party. Just some people following an idea - since 1990!

We are searching for people who want to join BT 2011 and take part in its organisation - see '''[[Route 2011]]''' how far we got already and where u can help!

There is an explanation on [[what bt is]] and how to [[organise biketour]] and collected some nice [[ideas]] about improving BT.

Right now we are also working on the [[website]]. And where the hell is our [[stuff]]? 

====Tasks====
we have quite a lot of job opportunities :) smaller areas of the project, where u would be the right person to take responsibility:

* coordinating a bit of the route (regional co-ordinators are wanted who speak the local language, can help find sleeping/cooking places, plan the route & find suitable maps for that region, have the overview of actions along the route. See more here: [[Checklist for national/local organisers]])
* take care of our outreach during the tour: flyer, poster, website content, prepare an action, prepare a theatre piece, prepare actions, prepare workshop to be given to the tour members or to the public
* coordinate the outreach for participants and organizers
* maintain the [[website]]
* style/design leaflets, posters...
* [[International Coordinator#fundraising|raise funds]]
* take care about [[visa]]s
* overall coordination
* backup office
* presswork
* bring bt to social networks like facebook and keep it updated there

* You can help us on-line!!! We do need help with moving pages from our old wikis and websites - have a look down to [[#Archive|archive]] - to this wiki. Also the [[website]] needs editing.

* Wiki organization
* Take care of moving old texts to here
* You can learn on [[How to edit Wiki]] for contributing
* Link this orphan pages: [[Special:Lonelypages]]

==Last years' tours==
===2010===
We went through England, Wales, France, Belgium, Netherlands & Germany, and found it was very possible to live with little money even in the "expensive" countries.
*the [[route 2010|amazing itinerary]]
*[http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=118042301261299956345.00048202c943d91616145&t=h&z=6| a google map oof the route]
*[[2010 evaluation]]
*[[BT 2010 advertising material|2010 materials]] - like flyers, the booklet, sticker design..
*[[Call-out_2010| Call-out for participants]] (in 6 languages - translated by past participants)
* download an [http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/biketour//2011/01/invitation-letter-biketour-2010.doc example visa invitation letter] from 2010
* sample media hits: online [http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/biketour//2011/01/26.05.2010_biketouronKulporter.png article]; audio [http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/biketour//2009/10/biketour.ogg interview on day 1]; newspapers; tv; magazine

===2009===
In 2009 we cycled from Macedonia to Croatia through Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
*the traversed [[route 2009|route]]
*[[Links_BT_2009_-_Balkans|the links]]
*the [[Meeting_minutes/Felt_the_heat|final evaluation]], a sort of lessons learned.
*the [http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/biketour//2011/01/bt_2009_guide_book_complete.pdf booklet]

===2008===
From Sofia, Bulgaria to Ecotopia at Sinop, Turkey
*[[lessons learned]]
*[[checklist for national/local organisers]]
*[[checklist for international organisers]]
*the [http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/biketour//2011/01/EKOTOPIA-BUKLET-2008-baski.pdf 2008 booklet]

===2007===
*[[Main Page 2007|Main Page of this wiki during 2007]]
*[[Route 2007|Route of Biketour 2007]]
*[[Map 2007|Map of Biketour 2007]]

===2006===
[[diary 06]], [[booklet 06]], [[pressrelease06 eng]], [[outreachmail participants 06 eng]],
[[traveltips to lithuania and poland]], [[short route description 06]], [[flyer06 eng]]

====Archive====
* campfire [[recipes]]
* [[texts about bt]]
* the 2005 wiki - bosnia, serbia, romaina and moldova: [http://bt05.seedwiki.com/wiki/bt05/?CFID=5513191&CFTOKEN=69760497&jsessionid=c2302637811172265372968] [http://web.archive.org/web/20071002184209/http://bt05.seedwiki.com/ backup]
* the 2004 wiki, quite some texts in czech and german: [http://bike_tour.seedwiki.com/wiki/bike_tour/?CFID=5513188&CFTOKEN=25088710&jsessionid=c2301409891172265371765] [http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://bike_tour.seedwiki.com backup]

Main Page

2011-01-31T13:22:58Z

Globalvegan: /* 2008 */

(''nb: to edit the wiki, you need to [[Special:Userlogin|login]] with your account. if you dont have one, you make it [[Special:Userlogin|here]])''

'''For general info on the biketour, surf to our primary website: http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net'''

==Welcome to the wiki of the ecotopia biketour==

===Information===
*[[What is bt]]?
*How to [[join]]
*[[What to bring]]
*[[Frequently asked questions]]
*[[Route]]: where we will be and when
*[[Map]]

=== Organizing 2011 ecotopia biketour ===
This is a self-organized tour!

No club, no ngo, no political party. Just some people following an idea - since 1990!

We are searching for people who want to join BT 2011 and take part in its organisation - see '''[[Route 2011]]''' how far we got already and where u can help!

There is an explanation on [[what bt is]] and how to [[organise biketour]] and collected some nice [[ideas]] about improving BT.

Right now we are also working on the [[website]]. And where the hell is our [[stuff]]? 

====Tasks====
we have quite a lot of job opportunities :) smaller areas of the project, where u would be the right person to take responsibility:

* coordinating a bit of the route (regional co-ordinators are wanted who speak the local language, can help find sleeping/cooking places, plan the route & find suitable maps for that region, have the overview of actions along the route. See more here: [[Checklist for national/local organisers]])
* take care of our outreach during the tour: flyer, poster, website content, prepare an action, prepare a theatre piece, prepare actions, prepare workshop to be given to the tour members or to the public
* coordinate the outreach for participants and organizers
* maintain the [[website]]
* style/design leaflets, posters...
* [[International Coordinator#fundraising|raise funds]]
* take care about [[visa]]s
* overall coordination
* backup office
* presswork
* bring bt to social networks like facebook and keep it updated there

* You can help us on-line!!! We do need help with moving pages from our old wikis and websites - have a look down to [[#Archive|archive]] - to this wiki. Also the [[website]] needs editing.

* Wiki organization
* Take care of moving old texts to here
* You can learn on [[How to edit Wiki]] for contributing
* Link this orphan pages: [[Special:Lonelypages]]

==Last years' tours==
===2010===
We went through England, Wales, France, Belgium, Netherlands & Germany, and found it was very possible to live with little money even in the "expensive" countries.
*the [[route 2010|amazing itinerary]]
*[http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=118042301261299956345.00048202c943d91616145&t=h&z=6| a google map oof the route]
*[[2010 evaluation]]
*[[BT 2010 advertising material|2010 advertising material]] - like flyers, the booklet, sticker design..
*[[Call-out_2010| Call-out for participants]] (in 6 languages - translated by past participants)
* download an [http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/biketour//2011/01/invitation-letter-biketour-2010.doc example visa invitation letter] from 2010
* sample media hits

===2009===
In 2009 we cycled from Macedonia to Croatia through Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
*the traversed [[route 2009|route]]
*[[Links_BT_2009_-_Balkans|the links]]
*the [[Meeting_minutes/Felt_the_heat|final evaluation]], a sort of lessons learned.
*the [http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/biketour//2011/01/bt_2009_guide_book_complete.pdf booklet]

===2008===
From Sofia, Bulgaria to Ecotopia at Sinop, Turkey
*[[lessons learned]]
*[[checklist for national/local organisers]]
*[[checklist for international organisers]]
*the [http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/biketour//2011/01/EKOTOPIA-BUKLET-2008-baski.pdf 2008 booklet]

===2007===
*[[Main Page 2007|Main Page of this wiki during 2007]]
*[[Route 2007|Route of Biketour 2007]]
*[[Map 2007|Map of Biketour 2007]]

===2006===
[[diary 06]], [[booklet 06]], [[pressrelease06 eng]], [[outreachmail participants 06 eng]],
[[traveltips to lithuania and poland]], [[short route description 06]], [[flyer06 eng]]

====Archive====
* campfire [[recipes]]
* [[texts about bt]]
* the 2005 wiki - bosnia, serbia, romaina and moldova: [http://bt05.seedwiki.com/wiki/bt05/?CFID=5513191&CFTOKEN=69760497&jsessionid=c2302637811172265372968] [http://web.archive.org/web/20071002184209/http://bt05.seedwiki.com/ backup]
* the 2004 wiki, quite some texts in czech and german: [http://bike_tour.seedwiki.com/wiki/bike_tour/?CFID=5513188&CFTOKEN=25088710&jsessionid=c2301409891172265371765] [http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://bike_tour.seedwiki.com backup]

Main Page

2011-01-31T13:19:48Z

Globalvegan: /* 2009 */

(''nb: to edit the wiki, you need to [[Special:Userlogin|login]] with your account. if you dont have one, you make it [[Special:Userlogin|here]])''

'''For general info on the biketour, surf to our primary website: http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net'''

==Welcome to the wiki of the ecotopia biketour==

===Information===
*[[What is bt]]?
*How to [[join]]
*[[What to bring]]
*[[Frequently asked questions]]
*[[Route]]: where we will be and when
*[[Map]]

=== Organizing 2011 ecotopia biketour ===
This is a self-organized tour!

No club, no ngo, no political party. Just some people following an idea - since 1990!

We are searching for people who want to join BT 2011 and take part in its organisation - see '''[[Route 2011]]''' how far we got already and where u can help!

There is an explanation on [[what bt is]] and how to [[organise biketour]] and collected some nice [[ideas]] about improving BT.

Right now we are also working on the [[website]]. And where the hell is our [[stuff]]? 

====Tasks====
we have quite a lot of job opportunities :) smaller areas of the project, where u would be the right person to take responsibility:

* coordinating a bit of the route (regional co-ordinators are wanted who speak the local language, can help find sleeping/cooking places, plan the route & find suitable maps for that region, have the overview of actions along the route. See more here: [[Checklist for national/local organisers]])
* take care of our outreach during the tour: flyer, poster, website content, prepare an action, prepare a theatre piece, prepare actions, prepare workshop to be given to the tour members or to the public
* coordinate the outreach for participants and organizers
* maintain the [[website]]
* style/design leaflets, posters...
* [[International Coordinator#fundraising|raise funds]]
* take care about [[visa]]s
* overall coordination
* backup office
* presswork
* bring bt to social networks like facebook and keep it updated there

* You can help us on-line!!! We do need help with moving pages from our old wikis and websites - have a look down to [[#Archive|archive]] - to this wiki. Also the [[website]] needs editing.

* Wiki organization
* Take care of moving old texts to here
* You can learn on [[How to edit Wiki]] for contributing
* Link this orphan pages: [[Special:Lonelypages]]

==Last years' tours==
===2010===
We went through England, Wales, France, Belgium, Netherlands & Germany, and found it was very possible to live with little money even in the "expensive" countries.
*the [[route 2010|amazing itinerary]]
*[http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=118042301261299956345.00048202c943d91616145&t=h&z=6| a google map oof the route]
*[[2010 evaluation]]
*[[BT 2010 advertising material|2010 advertising material]] - like flyers, the booklet, sticker design..
*[[Call-out_2010| Call-out for participants]] (in 6 languages - translated by past participants)
* download an [http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/biketour//2011/01/invitation-letter-biketour-2010.doc example visa invitation letter] from 2010
* sample media hits

===2009===
In 2009 we cycled from Macedonia to Croatia through Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
*the traversed [[route 2009|route]]
*[[Links_BT_2009_-_Balkans|the links]]
*the [[Meeting_minutes/Felt_the_heat|final evaluation]], a sort of lessons learned.
*the [http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/biketour//2011/01/bt_2009_guide_book_complete.pdf booklet]

===2008===
*[[lessons learned]]
*[[checklist for national/local organisers]]
*[[checklist for international organisers]]

===2007===
*[[Main Page 2007|Main Page of this wiki during 2007]]
*[[Route 2007|Route of Biketour 2007]]
*[[Map 2007|Map of Biketour 2007]]

===2006===
[[diary 06]], [[booklet 06]], [[pressrelease06 eng]], [[outreachmail participants 06 eng]],
[[traveltips to lithuania and poland]], [[short route description 06]], [[flyer06 eng]]

====Archive====
* campfire [[recipes]]
* [[texts about bt]]
* the 2005 wiki - bosnia, serbia, romaina and moldova: [http://bt05.seedwiki.com/wiki/bt05/?CFID=5513191&CFTOKEN=69760497&jsessionid=c2302637811172265372968] [http://web.archive.org/web/20071002184209/http://bt05.seedwiki.com/ backup]
* the 2004 wiki, quite some texts in czech and german: [http://bike_tour.seedwiki.com/wiki/bike_tour/?CFID=5513188&CFTOKEN=25088710&jsessionid=c2301409891172265371765] [http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://bike_tour.seedwiki.com backup]

Main Page

2011-01-31T13:05:08Z

Globalvegan: /* 2010 */

(''nb: to edit the wiki, you need to [[Special:Userlogin|login]] with your account. if you dont have one, you make it [[Special:Userlogin|here]])''

'''For general info on the biketour, surf to our primary website: http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net'''

==Welcome to the wiki of the ecotopia biketour==

===Information===
*[[What is bt]]?
*How to [[join]]
*[[What to bring]]
*[[Frequently asked questions]]
*[[Route]]: where we will be and when
*[[Map]]

=== Organizing 2011 ecotopia biketour ===
This is a self-organized tour!

No club, no ngo, no political party. Just some people following an idea - since 1990!

We are searching for people who want to join BT 2011 and take part in its organisation - see '''[[Route 2011]]''' how far we got already and where u can help!

There is an explanation on [[what bt is]] and how to [[organise biketour]] and collected some nice [[ideas]] about improving BT.

Right now we are also working on the [[website]]. And where the hell is our [[stuff]]? 

====Tasks====
we have quite a lot of job opportunities :) smaller areas of the project, where u would be the right person to take responsibility:

* coordinating a bit of the route (regional co-ordinators are wanted who speak the local language, can help find sleeping/cooking places, plan the route & find suitable maps for that region, have the overview of actions along the route. See more here: [[Checklist for national/local organisers]])
* take care of our outreach during the tour: flyer, poster, website content, prepare an action, prepare a theatre piece, prepare actions, prepare workshop to be given to the tour members or to the public
* coordinate the outreach for participants and organizers
* maintain the [[website]]
* style/design leaflets, posters...
* [[International Coordinator#fundraising|raise funds]]
* take care about [[visa]]s
* overall coordination
* backup office
* presswork
* bring bt to social networks like facebook and keep it updated there

* You can help us on-line!!! We do need help with moving pages from our old wikis and websites - have a look down to [[#Archive|archive]] - to this wiki. Also the [[website]] needs editing.

* Wiki organization
* Take care of moving old texts to here
* You can learn on [[How to edit Wiki]] for contributing
* Link this orphan pages: [[Special:Lonelypages]]

==Last years' tours==
===2010===
We went through England, Wales, France, Belgium, Netherlands & Germany, and found it was very possible to live with little money even in the "expensive" countries.
*the [[route 2010|amazing itinerary]]
*[http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=118042301261299956345.00048202c943d91616145&t=h&z=6| a google map oof the route]
*[[2010 evaluation]]
*[[BT 2010 advertising material|2010 advertising material]] - like flyers, the booklet, sticker design..
*[[Call-out_2010| Call-out for participants]] (in 6 languages - translated by past participants)
* download an [http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/biketour//2011/01/invitation-letter-biketour-2010.doc example visa invitation letter] from 2010
* sample media hits

===2009===
In 2009 we cycled from Macedonia to Croatia through Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
*the traversed [[route 2009|route]]
*[[Links_BT_2009_-_Balkans|the links]]
*the [[Meeting_minutes/Felt_the_heat|final evaluation]], a sort of lessons learned.

===2008===
*[[lessons learned]]
*[[checklist for national/local organisers]]
*[[checklist for international organisers]]

===2007===
*[[Main Page 2007|Main Page of this wiki during 2007]]
*[[Route 2007|Route of Biketour 2007]]
*[[Map 2007|Map of Biketour 2007]]

===2006===
[[diary 06]], [[booklet 06]], [[pressrelease06 eng]], [[outreachmail participants 06 eng]],
[[traveltips to lithuania and poland]], [[short route description 06]], [[flyer06 eng]]

====Archive====
* campfire [[recipes]]
* [[texts about bt]]
* the 2005 wiki - bosnia, serbia, romaina and moldova: [http://bt05.seedwiki.com/wiki/bt05/?CFID=5513191&CFTOKEN=69760497&jsessionid=c2302637811172265372968] [http://web.archive.org/web/20071002184209/http://bt05.seedwiki.com/ backup]
* the 2004 wiki, quite some texts in czech and german: [http://bike_tour.seedwiki.com/wiki/bike_tour/?CFID=5513188&CFTOKEN=25088710&jsessionid=c2301409891172265371765] [http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://bike_tour.seedwiki.com backup]

Main Page

2011-01-31T12:55:18Z

Globalvegan: /* 2010 */

(''nb: to edit the wiki, you need to [[Special:Userlogin|login]] with your account. if you dont have one, you make it [[Special:Userlogin|here]])''

'''For general info on the biketour, surf to our primary website: http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net'''

==Welcome to the wiki of the ecotopia biketour==

===Information===
*[[What is bt]]?
*How to [[join]]
*[[What to bring]]
*[[Frequently asked questions]]
*[[Route]]: where we will be and when
*[[Map]]

=== Organizing 2011 ecotopia biketour ===
This is a self-organized tour!

No club, no ngo, no political party. Just some people following an idea - since 1990!

We are searching for people who want to join BT 2011 and take part in its organisation - see '''[[Route 2011]]''' how far we got already and where u can help!

There is an explanation on [[what bt is]] and how to [[organise biketour]] and collected some nice [[ideas]] about improving BT.

Right now we are also working on the [[website]]. And where the hell is our [[stuff]]? 

====Tasks====
we have quite a lot of job opportunities :) smaller areas of the project, where u would be the right person to take responsibility:

* coordinating a bit of the route (regional co-ordinators are wanted who speak the local language, can help find sleeping/cooking places, plan the route & find suitable maps for that region, have the overview of actions along the route. See more here: [[Checklist for national/local organisers]])
* take care of our outreach during the tour: flyer, poster, website content, prepare an action, prepare a theatre piece, prepare actions, prepare workshop to be given to the tour members or to the public
* coordinate the outreach for participants and organizers
* maintain the [[website]]
* style/design leaflets, posters...
* [[International Coordinator#fundraising|raise funds]]
* take care about [[visa]]s
* overall coordination
* backup office
* presswork
* bring bt to social networks like facebook and keep it updated there

* You can help us on-line!!! We do need help with moving pages from our old wikis and websites - have a look down to [[#Archive|archive]] - to this wiki. Also the [[website]] needs editing.

* Wiki organization
* Take care of moving old texts to here
* You can learn on [[How to edit Wiki]] for contributing
* Link this orphan pages: [[Special:Lonelypages]]

==Last years' tours==
===2010===
We went through England, Wales, France, Belgium, Netherlands & Germany, and found it was very possible to live with little money even in the "expensive" countries.
*the [[route 2010|amazing itinerary]]
*[http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=118042301261299956345.00048202c943d91616145&t=h&z=6| a google map oof the route]
*[[2010 evaluation]]
*[[BT 2010 advertising material|2010 advertising material]] - like flyers, the booklet, sticker design..
*[[Call-out_2010]] (in 6 languages - translated by past participants)
* example visa invitation letter
* sample media hit

===2009===
In 2009 we cycled from Macedonia to Croatia through Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
*the traversed [[route 2009|route]]
*[[Links_BT_2009_-_Balkans|the links]]
*the [[Meeting_minutes/Felt_the_heat|final evaluation]], a sort of lessons learned.

===2008===
*[[lessons learned]]
*[[checklist for national/local organisers]]
*[[checklist for international organisers]]

===2007===
*[[Main Page 2007|Main Page of this wiki during 2007]]
*[[Route 2007|Route of Biketour 2007]]
*[[Map 2007|Map of Biketour 2007]]

===2006===
[[diary 06]], [[booklet 06]], [[pressrelease06 eng]], [[outreachmail participants 06 eng]],
[[traveltips to lithuania and poland]], [[short route description 06]], [[flyer06 eng]]

====Archive====
* campfire [[recipes]]
* [[texts about bt]]
* the 2005 wiki - bosnia, serbia, romaina and moldova: [http://bt05.seedwiki.com/wiki/bt05/?CFID=5513191&CFTOKEN=69760497&jsessionid=c2302637811172265372968] [http://web.archive.org/web/20071002184209/http://bt05.seedwiki.com/ backup]
* the 2004 wiki, quite some texts in czech and german: [http://bike_tour.seedwiki.com/wiki/bike_tour/?CFID=5513188&CFTOKEN=25088710&jsessionid=c2301409891172265371765] [http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://bike_tour.seedwiki.com backup]

Call-out 2010

2011-01-31T12:48:15Z

Globalvegan: New page: The 2010 call-out in 7 languages! ==ENGLISH Join us this summer: Cycle for climate justice in Western Europe!== We aren’t worried about volcano ash clouds getting in our way: we’re g...

The 2010 call-out in 7 languages!

==ENGLISH Join us this summer: Cycle for climate justice in Western Europe!==

We aren’t worried about volcano ash clouds getting in our way: we’re going to cycle from North Yorkshire (United Kingdom), via Leeds, Bristol, Caen, Le Havre, Calais, Ostende and Brussels to Cologne (Germany). Our itinerary is focused around mobilisations for climate justice and will be more than 2000km and take us more than two months: from 25 June until August 31 2010.

If you want to join (a part) of the biketour, you are welcome! Jump straight to our registration form here!

The Ecotopia Biketour is not just any roadtrip of simple peddle power through picturesque panoramas, it’s full of environmental campaigning and actions too!

We will participate in campaigns at places we pass: supporting front-line communities in reclaiming their land against polluting industries; debunking nuclear power myths; taking direct action against the oil and coal industries; highlighting alternatives to highway expansions; supporting the transition to carfree cities; at the same time as organising ourselves the way we wish to see global issues dealt with. Each week there will be workshops, discussions and (without doubt) fun & games. Some of the biggest stops will be at the Towards Carfree Cities Conference at the end of June, the French climate camp in July and the German climate camp in August. All along the route hope to meet, stay and learn from local communities who take sustainable development into their own hands: home-made, home grown, permaculture, renewables, recycling, preservation of natural reserves… And there’s going to be a whole lot more: the Ecotopia Biketour is whatever we make it.

Join us, if:
# you can cycle around 50 km per day (probably with a few rainy days!)
# you are interested in environmental and social justice issues and want to take part in actions
# you want to take part in consensus decision-making (communicating!) and
# you want to help with the daily tasks such as preparing meals, pulling trailers, washing up or tidying the sleeping places.
*[ How to participate ]*

First: Read the ins and outs of the Biketour on our website & fill out the registration form asap:

http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/join-us/registration

Then: find out if you need visa for the countries we travel through: United Kingdom [one visa zone] and France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany [separate "Schengen" visa zone]. Contact us, so we can see how we can help you to arrange your visa.

If you’re on facebook, you can join the Biketour event here and our facebook page here… following us on Twitter is also possible!

Each person pays a participation fee of at least 5 euros per day (those with a better economic situation more than those who have less money). This fee should help cover everything – organisational effort, various events, actions, workshops, three vegetarian meals a day and a place to put up your tent.

If join from the start: we will meet on the morning of 25th of June in London, as a lot of us will be travelling from the continent. In the evening, we can join the London Critical Mass. If you live in London and want to help prepare something (banner for the critical mass; screen printing for t-shirts; communal food; etc) your ideas and skills and energy are very welcome!
We will travel north to Darlington by train on Saturday 26 June, and meet up with those who weren’t in London. The actual long distance cycling of the 2010 Biketour will start in the morning of 27 June, from Darlington, heading over the Yorkshire Moors.

You can also joining us somewhere along our route – but please let us know in advance around where and when we can expect you to show up. The itinerary is becoming more solid each day.

There are a lot of hints and tips we can give you for getting ready for the biketour, but to keep this invitation of a decent length, you better delve yourself through our website and look at everything already there. And if you have questions, ask!

Hope to see you!

Laura and Moritz
this years’ international co-ordinators

info[at]ecotopiabiketour.net

== FRENCH Viens nous rejoindre cet été: Pédale pour la Justice Climatique en Europe de l’ouest!==

Nous n’avons que faire des nuages de cendres volcaniques se trouvant sur notre chemin: Nous irons du nord du Yorkshire (Royaume-Uni) à Cologne (Allemagne) à vélo, en passant par Leeds, Bristol, Caen, Le Havre, Calais, Ostende et Bruxelles. Notre itinéraire de 2000 km sera établi autour de mobilisations pour la Justice Climatique et il nous faudra plus de deux mois pour le parcourir: du 25 juin au 31 août 2010.

Si tu veux prendre part au Bike Tour (ou à une partie du Bike Tour), sois bienvenu(e)! Inscris-toi ici et maintenant!

Ecotopia Bike Tour n’est pas un simple road trip ayant pour décor des paysages pittoresques, animé par nos seules pédales et notre seule énergie, c’est aussi un moment de mobilisation et d’activisme pour l’environnement !

Sur notre chemin nous participerons à des actions environnementales: nous soutiendrons des localités menacées dans leur lutte contre des industries polluantes; nous démonterons les mythes du nucléaire; nous entreprendrons des actions directes contre les industries du pétrole et du charbon; nous insisterons sur les alternatives à l’expansion des autoroutes; nous soutiendrons le mouvement des villes sans voitures; tout cela en adoptant une organisation de groupe semblable à celle que nous aimerions voir adoptée par la communauté mondiale pour répondre aux problèmes auxquels elle fait face. Des workshops seront proposés chaque semaine, ainsi que des discussions et – sans aucun doute – des jeux et de la bonne humeur! Nos étapes majeures seront le Towards Carfree Cities Conference à York, en juin, le Camp Action Climat de France en juillet ainsi que le Klimacamp d’Allemagne en août. Tout au long de la route, nous espérons rencontrer des communautés locales entreprenant un développement alternatif, et apprendre d’elles: en matière d’artisanat, de culture de potager, de permaculture, d’énergies renouvelables, de recyclage, de préservation des ressources naturelles… Et plus encore au programme: Ecotopia Bike Tour est avant tout ce que l’on en fait.

Rejoins-nous si:
# Tu peux rouler 50 km par jour (quelques jours de pluie à prévoir!).
# Tu te sens concerné(e) par la justice environnementale et sociale et souhaite participer à des actions.
# Tu veux prendre une part active au processus de prise de décision du groupe par consensus (communication!).
# Tu veux participer aux tâches collectives et quotidiennes telles que préparer les repas, prendre en charge le trailer, faire la vaisselle et veiller à la propreté du camp.
*[ Comment participer ]*

Premièrement: Lis les tenants et aboutissants du Bike Tour sur notre site et remplis le formulaire d’inscription dès que possible http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/join-us/registration

Ensuite: Renseigne-toi pour savoir si tu as besoin d’un visa pour séjourner dans les pays que nous traverserons: Royaume-Uni (une zone visa) ; France, Belgique, Pays-Bas et Allemagne (une autre zone visa) . Contacte-nous pour voir si on peut faciliter les choses pour l’obtention de ton visa.
Chaque personne paye une participation de 4-8 euros par jour (les personnes se trouvant dans une situation économique difficile peuvent éventuellement payer moins que les autres). Cette participation couvre toutes nos dépenses: organisation, évènements divers, actions, workshops, trois repas végétariens par jour et un endroit pour monter le camp.
Pour ceux qui veulent nous rejoindre au départ: nous nous retrouverons le 25 juin dans la matinée à Londres, comme la plupart d’entre nous arrivent du continent. Le soir, nous nous joindrons certainement au London Critical Mass. Si tu vis à Londres et veut préparer quelque chose (banderoles pour la critial mass; sérigraphie sur T-shirts; nourriture etc. tes idées, tes compétences et ton énergie sont très bienvenues! Nous nous mettrons tous ensemble en route vers le nord samedi 26 juin au matin, et retrouverons ceux qui ne sont pas venus depuis Londres. La route du Bike Tour 2010 à proprement dite commencera dans le nord du Yorkshire dans l’après-midi du 26, mais nous aurons plus de détails bientôt (dès que nous aurons trouvé un bon endroit pour dormir le 26, situé à 100km – 60miles – au nord de York).
Tu peux aussi nous rejoindre quelque part sur la route – mais le cas échéant merci de nous faire savoir à l’avance, dans la mesure du possible, où et quand tu penses nous rejoindre. L’itinéraire, si tout se passe bien, va se préciser de jour en jour.

On pourrait encore te donner beaucoup d’informations et de détails pour t’aider à te préparer, mais pour que cette invitation garde une longueur raisonnable, nous te recommandons d’aller faire un tour sur notre site et de voir déjà ce qui s’y trouve. Et bien sûr, si tu as des questions, n’hésite pas!!

En espérant te voir bientôt!

Laura and Moritz
coordinateurs Bike Tour 2010

info[at]ecotopiabiketour.net

== DUTCH Doe met ons mee deze zomer: Fiets door West Europa voor klimaatrechtvaardigheid! ==

We zijn niet bang dat wolken vulkaanas ons in de weg zullen staan: we fietsen van noord Yorkshire (Groot Britanië), via Leeds, Bristol, Caen, Le Havre, Calais, Oostende en Brussel, door Nederlands Limburg, tot aan Keulen (Duitsland). Onze route, die van 25 juni tot 31 augustus ruim 2 maanden zal duren, richt zich op de mobilisatie voor ‘Climate Justice’, klimaat rechtvaardigheid dus, voor mens, dier en milieu – wereldwijd.

Als je de hele route, of een deel ervan wil meedoen met de fietstocht ben je van harte welkom! Spring meteen naar ons registratieformulier hier!

Ecotopia Biketour is niet zomaar een rit op simpele trapkracht op de pendalen door mooie panoramas, het is ook een tocht vol campagnes en akties voor het milieu!

In de plaatsen die we aandoen gaan we deelnemen aan lokale campagnes: steun aan gemeenschappen aan de linie in het terugnemen van hun land op vervuilende industriën; het doorprikken van de postitieve mythes over kernenergie; het in de aandacht bregen van alternatieven voor de uitbreiding van snelwegen; steun aan de overgang naar autovrije steden – en tegelijk ons zelf organiseren op de wijze die we verkiezen om inzicht te krijgen in de werelwijde thema’s die we tegenkomen. Elke week zijn er workshops, discussies en (zonder twijfel) plezier & spel. Sommige van de grootste stops zullen in het Towards Carfree Cities Conference naar het einde van juni zijn, het Franse klimaatkamp in juli, en het Duitse klimaatkamp in augustus. Over de hele route hopen we lokale groepen te ontmoeten die duurzame ontwikkeling in eigen handen nemen, bij hen te verblijven en van hen te leren: over zelfgemaakte en zelfgekweekte producten, permacultuur, gebruik van hernieuwbare energiebronnen, hergebruik, en beheer van natuur reservaten… en nog veel meer: de Ecotopia Biketour is wat we er zelf van maken.

Kom mee als:

* je rond 50 km per dag kan fietsen (met waarschijnlijk wat dagen regen!)
* je geinteresseerd bent in thema’s rond rechtvaardigheid voor mens, dier en milieu en deel wilt nemen aan acties
* je deel wilt nemen aan consensus besluitvorming (en communicatie) en
* je wil helpen met de dagelijkse taken zoals het bereiden van de maaltijden, het trekken van de aanhangwagens, de afwas of het opruimen van de slaapplaatsen.

*[ hoe deel nemen ]*

Ten eerste: Lees de ins en outs van de Biketour op onze website & vul het registratie formulier zo spoedig mogelijk in:
http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/join-us/registration

Dan: ga na of je een visum nodig hebt voor de landen waar we doorheen reizen: Groot-Britannië [één visum zone] en Frankrijk, België, Nederland en Duitsland [aparte "Schengen" visum zone]. Neem met ons contact op, zodat we kunnen kijken hoe we je kunnen helpen bij het regelen van je visa.

Als je op Facebook zit, kun je lid worden van de Biketour event hier en onze Facebook pagina… ons volgen op Twitter is ook mogelijk!

Iedereen betaalt een deelnemers bijdrage van 4-8 euro per dag (wie een met een betere economische situatie heeft misschien iets meer dan wie minder geld heeft). Deze bijdragen zouden alle kosten moeten dekken – organisatorische kosten en inspanning, verschillende activiteiten, acties, workshops, 3 vegetarische maaltijden per dag en een plek om je tent op te zetten.

Als je vanaf het begin meedoet: we komen op de ochtend van 25 juni in Londen samen aangezien velen van ons vanaf het continent zullen komen. ‘s Avonds kunnen we meedoen aan de London Critical Mass. Mocht je in Londen wonen en wilt meehelpen aan de voorbereidingen (zoals het maken van een spandoek voor de optocht; het drukken van t-shirts; helpen met koken; etz) dan zijn jouw ideeën, vaardigheden en energie van harte welkom! In de ochtend van 26 juni reizen we noordwaards, en zullen diegenen van buiten Londen ontmoeten. De echte 2010 Biketour gaat in de middag van 26 juni vanaf Noord Yorkshire van start, de preciese locatie wordt binnenkort bekendgemaakt (zodra we een geschikte kampeerplek zo’n 100 km – of 60 miles – ten noorden van York gevonden hebben).

Je kunt ons ook ergens langs de route bij de Biketour vervoegen – maar laat ons dan op tijd weten waar en wanneer we je kunnen verwachten. De route is nu nog in de maak, maar wordt hopelijk met de dag zekerder en precieser.

Er zijn tal van tips en handigheidjes die we je zouden kunnen meegeven om voorbereid aan de fietstocht mee te doen, maar om deze uitnodiging van fatsoenlijke lengte te houden, kun je maar beter een goeie kijk nemen op onze website en wat daar al aan informatie voor je staat. Als je dan nog vragen hebt, stelt ze ons gerust!

Hopelijk tot op de tour!

Moritz en Laura

internationale coördinatoren voor de Biketour 2010

info[at]ecotopiabiketour.net

== GERMAN Auf geht’s! Mach mit bei der Ecotopia Biketour 2010 – Der Radtour für Klimagerechtigkeit in Westeuropa! ==

Wir brauchen uns keine Sorgen zu machen, um Vulkanaschewolken die uns in die Quere kommen könnten – statt dessen schwingen wir uns auf die Räder und fahren von England nach Köln – Los geht´s in North Yorkshire, via Leeds, Bristol, Caen, Le Havre, Calais, Ostende und Brüssel. Mehr als 2 Monate lang, vom 25. Juni bis zum 31. August 2010, über 2000 Radkilometer hinweg konzentrieren wir uns dabei auf ein Thema: Klimagerechtigkeit.

<-Hier geht’s direkt zur Anmeldung ->

Die Ecotopia Biketour ist keine vorgekaute und durchorganisierte Radrundreise, auf der wir einfach so durch hübsche Panoramen strampeln, sondern eine selbstorganisierte Umweltkampagne voller Aktionen! Unterwegs werden wir Gruppen und Initiativen darin unterstützen, sich gegen mächtige Industrie-Interessen durchzusetzen; wir werden unseren Beitrag leisten die Mythen der Atomkraftlobby zu entlarven und mischen uns mit direkten Aktionen in die Diskussion um die Öl- und Kohleindustrie ein; wir werden Alternativen zu Autobahnerweiterungen aufzeigen und den Wandel zur autofreien Gesellschaft unterstützen! Was dabei herauskommt, wenn wir den Klimaschutz den Herrschenden überlassen, haben wir in Kopenhagen gesehen. Deshalb müssen wir den Schutz des Klimas in die eigenen Hände nehmen. Dabei organisieren wir uns auf eben jene Art und Weise mit der unserer Meinung nach auch die globalen Themen behandelt werden müssen – mit Entscheidungsfindung auf Konsensbasis, wo jeder/m Betroffene/r Gehör geschenkt wird. Jede Woche wird es Workshops und Diskussionen geben aber natürlich werden auch Spass, Spiele und Gemeinschaftsleben nicht zu kurz kommen. Es warten einige Höhepunkte auf uns: die World Towards Carfree Cities Conference in York gleich am Anfang, das französische Klimacamp im Juli und das deutsche im August. Und während der gesamten Tour werden wir Gruppen treffen, die nachhaltige Entwicklung in ihre Hände nehmen: es selber machen, sähen und ernten, etwa in Form von Permakultur oder mit erneuerbaren Energien, die Recyceln, was nicht wiederbenutzt werden kann, die der Natur langfristig Schutzräume bieten … aber natürlich wird auch das kreative Chaos nicht ausbleiben – denn die Ecotopia Biketour ist das, was wir daraus machen!

Wenn du…

* um die 50 km pro Tag radfahren kannst und mit dem einen oder anderen Regentag fertig wirst
* dich für Umweltthemen und soziale Gerechtigkeit interessierst und findest, dass da ein paar Aktionen nötig sind
* gern im Konsens mitentscheidest, auf englisch und manchmal auch nach einem langen Tag auf dem Rad
* kein Problem damit hast dir mit anderen internationalen Freiwilligen die täglich anfallenden Aufgaben zu teilen (Dinge wie Essen kochen, Fahrradanhänger ziehen, den Abwasch erledigne oder ein Auge drauf zu haben, dass wir die Schlafplätze aufgeräumt verlassen)

…dann komm vorbei und fahr mit!
*[Wie das geht findest du hier heraus]*

Dazu solltest du dir als erstes Prinzipien und Idee der Fahrradtour durchlesen und dann das Anmeldeformular ausfüllen:

http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/join-us/registration

Wenn Du nicht aus dem Schengenraum oder der UK kommst, musst du klären, ob du ein Visum brauchst für einen der beiden Visaräume. Falls ja dann wende dich als bald als möglich an uns, damit wir sagen können, wie wir dir helfen können, dein Visum zu beantragen.

Der tägliche Teilnahmebeitrag liegt zwischen 4 und 8 € – wenn du dich in einer ökonomisch guten Situation befindest, auch gerne mehr. Das sollte reichen, um für alles aufzukommen: Die Organisation der Tour, all die Veranstaltungen unterwegs, Aktionen & Workshops, 3 vegetarische Mahlzeiten pro Tag und jede Nacht einen Platz für unsere Zelte. Wenn du von Anfang an dabei sein willst: Wir treffen uns am Freitag Morgen, den 25. Juni in London. Am Abend nehmen wir Teil an einer Critical Mass in London. Falls Du in London lebst und uns helfen willst, es gäbe noch einiges vorzubereiten – z.B. ein Banner für die CM, Siebdruck für Biketour T-Shirts, lecker Essen … wende Dich vertrauensvoll an uns. Am Samstag, den 26.6. reisen wir dann gemeinsam Richtung Norden um dort diejenigen zu treffen, die aus allen Richtungen dem Treck aus der Hauptstadt entgegenkommen. Zum ersten Mal gemeinsam radfahren werden wir am Samstag Nachmittag in North Yorkshire. Den genauen Startort geben wir bekannt, sobald wir einen geeigneten ersten Schafplatz gefunden haben – irgendwo 60 Meilen nördlich von York. Du kannst Dich uns dann auch irgendwo, irgendwann on the road anschließen, aber bitte kündige dich vorher an, damit wir wissen, wann wir mit dir rechnen können. Die Route kristallisiert sich von Tag zu Tag deutlicher heraus.

Wir hätten noch eine Menge zu sagen, wie mensch sich auf die Biketour vorbereiten und bei der Vorbereitung helfen kann, schließlich ist es eine selbstorganisierte Tour und alles, was von zu Hause schon erledigt wurde, müssen wir während der Tour nicht mehr organisieren. Aber um die Einladung in einer angenehmen Länge zu halten verweisen wir an diesem Punkt auf unsere Website: www.ecotopiabiketour.net. Und wenn Du dann noch Fragen hast, nur zu! Du findest uns auch auf Facebook und kannst auch in Form von Twitter einen heißen Draht zu uns halten. Noch schöner wäre es allerdings wir würden uns draußen, auf der Straße treffen!

vive la velorution!

Laura und Moritz
die diesjährigen internationalen KoordinatorInnen

info[a]ecotopiabiketour.net

== PORTUGUESE Junta-te a nós este verão: Vamos pedalar pela Justiça Climática! ==

Não estamos preocupados com as nuvens de cinza de vulcão se meterem no nosso caminho: vamos pedalar de North Yorkshire (Reino Unido), via Leeds, Bristol, Caen, Le Havre, Calais, Ostende e Bruxelas até Cologne (Alemanha). O percurso, de 2000km, irá seguir mobilizações pela Justiça Climática e demorará mais de 2 meses: de 25 de Junho a 31 de Agosto de 2010.

Se te queres juntar a (uma parte) da biketour, estás convidado! Preenche o formulário de registo aqui!

A Ecotopia Biketour não é apenas uma viajem a pedal por panoramas pitorescos, é também preenchida por acções e campanhas por mais justiça ambiental e social!

Vamos participar em campanhas em vários dos locais que passarmos: apoiar comunidades na linha da frente da reivindicação de terras contra industrias poluidoras; acabar com os mitos sobre a energia nuclear; participar em acções directas contra as industrias de carvão e petróleo; assinalar alternativas às expansões de auto-estradas; apoiar a transição para cidades livres de carros; ao mesmo tempo organizando nós mesmos a forma como queremos que problemas globais sejam resolvidos. Cada semana poderá haver workshops, discussões e (sem duvida) diversão e jogos. As duas paragens mais longas serão no Camp Climat Francês em Julho e no KlimaCamp Alemão em Agosto. Por todo o caminho espera conhecer, visitar e aprender das comunidades locais que agarram o desenvolvimento sustentável pelas suas próprias mãos: feito em casa, produção local, permacultura, energias renovaveis, reciclagem, preservação de reservas naturais… E vai haver muito mais: a Ecotopia Biketour é o que fizermos dela.
Junta-te a nós se:

* consegues pedalar pedalar uma media de 50 km por dia (provavelmente com alguns dias a chover!)
* Justiça social e ambiental interessam-te e queres fazer parte em acções sobre estes temas
* queres fazer parte de um grupo onde se usa o consenso como processo de decisão e
* queres ajudar nas tarefas diárias tais como preparar refeições, limpar e arrumar os locais de descanso e puxar os atrelados.

*[ Como participar ]*

Primeiro: Lê tudo sobre a Biketour no nosso website & preenche o formulário de registo logo que possas:

http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/join-us/registration

Depois: descobre se precisas de um visa para algum dos países em que passamos: Reino Unido [uma zona de visa] e França, Bélgica, Holanda e Alemanha [zona de visa "Shengen"]. Contacta-nos, para sabermos como te podemos ajudar a pedir o teu visa.

Cada pessoa paga uma cota diária de 4 a 8 euros por dia (aqueles com uma situação económica melhor talvez um bocado mais do que aqueles com menos dinheiro). Esta cota deve ajudar a cobrir tudo – esforço para organização, vários eventos, acções, workshops, três refeições vegetarianas por dia e um sitio para montar a tenda.

Se te juntares ao inicio: vamo-nos encontrar na manhã de 25 de Junho em Londres. À tarde podemo-nos juntar à Massa Critica Londrina. Se vives em Londres e queres ajudar a preparar alguma coisa (uma faixa para levar na massa crítica; umas t-shirts; comida; etc) as tuas ideias e talentos são bem vindas! Viajamos juntos na manhã de Sábado, 26 de Junho, e encontramo-nos, com aqueles que não vierem de Londres, mais a norte. O inicio a pedal da Biketour 2010 será em North Yorkshire na tarde de 26 de Junho, a localização exacta será anunciada em breve (quando encontrarmos um local apropriado para acampar dia 26 à volta de 100km a norte de York).

Podes também juntar-te a nós em qualquer outro ponto da nossa rota – mas por favor avisa-nos com antecedência onde e quando podemos esperar encontrar-te. O nosso itinerário está a ficar mais estável a cada dia que passa.

Ha bastantes dicas e conselhos que podiamos dar para te preparares para a biketour, mas para manter este convite com um tamanho decente, é melhor tu entrares e pesquisares no nosso website e wiki para ver toda a informação que já está por lá. Se tens alguma questão, pergunta!

Esperamos ver-te em breve!

Laura and Moritz
os coordenadores internacionais da Ecotopia Biketour deste ano
info[at]ecotopiabiketour.net

== SERBIAN Придружите нам се овог лета: Бициклирај за климатску правду у западној Европи! ==

Ми нисмо забринути због вулканских облака пепела на нашем путу: путоваћемо на бициклу од Северног Јоркшира (Велика Британија), преко Бристола, Кана, Aвра, Калеа, Остендеа и Брисела до Келна (Немачка). Наш 2000 км дуга маршрута је фокусирана на кампанњу за климатску правду и то ће трајати више од два месеца: од 25-ог јуна до 31-ог августа 2010.

Ако желите да учествујете (делимично) на бајктуру, ви сте добродошли! Уђи директно на наш формулар за пријаву овде!

Екотопија Бикетоур није само било какво путовање или педалирање кроз живописне панораме, то је у ствари кампања за заштиту животне средине и учешће у акцијама!.

Ми ћемо учествовати у кампањама у местима кроз која пролазимо: подржаваћемо напредне заједнице које се боре да сачувају своју земљу од индустријског загађења, раскринкаваћемо мит о нуклеарним електранама; предузимати директне акције против нафтне индустрије и термо централа на угаљ, указивати на алтернативу ширењу мреже аутопутева, подржавати прелазак на градове без аутомобила, у исто време онако како се ми организујемо желимо да се решавају и глобална питања.

Сваке недеље ће се организовати радионице, дискусије и (без сумње) забаве и игре. Најдуже паузе искористићемо да посетимо конференцију ”Ка градовима без аутомобила”(Towards Carfree Cities Conferencе) крајем јуна, боравимо у француском клима кампу у јулу и немачком клима кампу у августу. Уз пут надамо се да ћемо срести, боравити и научити пуно у локалним заједницама које преузимају одрживи развој у своје руке: ручни рад, домаћа радиност, домаћа производња, пермакултура, обновљиви извори, рециклаже, очувања природних резерви … И биће много тога још: Екотопија Бајктур је шта год да ми направимо.

Придружите нам се, ако:

• можете да возите бицикл око 50 км дневно (вероватно са неколико кишних дана!)
• сте заинтересовани за заштиту животне средине и питања социјалне правде и желите да учествујете у акцијама
• желите да учествујете у доношењу одлука консензусом (комуницирању !) и
• желите да помогнете у преузиманју дневних задатака као што су: припремање јела, вучење приколице, прање суђа или чишћење места на ком смо боравили.
* [Како да учествујете] *

Прво: Прочитајте предности и мане Бајктура на нашој веб страници и попуните формулар што пре:

http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/join-us/registration

Затим: сазнајте да ли вам је потребна виза за земље кроз које путујемо: Велика Британија [једна визна зона] и Француска, Белгија, Холандија и Немачка [посебна "Шенген" визна зона]. Контактирајте нас, да видимо како можемо да вам помогнемо да прибавите своју визу.

Ако сте на Фејсбуку, можете се придружити Бajктур догађањима овде и на нашој фејсбук стрaници овде … могуће је пратити нас такође и на Твитеру!.

Свака особа плаћа трошкове учешћа од 4-8 евра по дану (за оне са бољим економском ситуацијом можда мало више од оних који имају мање новца). Ово учешће би требало да помогне како би покрили све – организационе потребе, разна догађања, акције, радионице, три вегетаријанска јела дневно и тарифу за постављање шатора у кампу.

Ако се придружите од самог почетка: састаћемо се у јутро 25-ог јуна у Лондону, јер ће доста нас допутовати са континента. У вечерњим сатима, можемо да се придружимо Критичној Маси у Лондону. Ако живите у Лондону и желите да помогнете припремите нешто (банер за критичну масу, сито штампу за мајице, заједничку исхрану, итд) ваше идеје, знања и енергија су веома добродошли! Ми ћемо путовати на север заједно у суботу ујутро 26. јуна, и срести се са онима који нису дошли из Лондона. Прави почетак бициклистичког путовања Бајктур 2010 ће почети у Северном Јоркширу у подне 26. јуна, тачна локација ће ускоро бити објављена (ако нађемо одговарајуће место за камповање за суботу 26-ог око 100км – 60миља – северно од Јорка).

Можете нам се такође придружити негде дуж наше руте – али молимо вас да нам јавите унапред отприлике, где и када можемо очекивати да се појавите. Маршрута (надамо се) постаје све извеснија, сваки дан.

Постоји много препорука или савета које вам можемо дати како би се припремили за бајктур, али у намери да овај позив остане пристојне дужине, боље прегледајте на нашој страници и пронађите све оно што већ тамо постоји. И ако имате питања, само питајте.

Надам се да се видимо,

Лора и Мориц!

Овогодишњи међународни координатори

== SPANISH Únete a nosotros este verano: ¡Pedalea por la justicia Climática en el Oeste de Europa! ==
(Thanks to Jana)

No estamos preocupados de que la nube de ceniza procedente del volcán se cruce en nuestro camino: vamos a rodar desde el norte de Yorkshire (Reino Unido), a través de Leeds, Bristol, Caen, Le Havre, Calais, Ostende y Bruselas hasta Colonia (Alemania). Nuestro itinerario de 2000 km se centra en las movilizaciones por la justicia climática y nos tendrá ocupados durante más de dos meses: desde el 25 de Junio hasta el 31 de Agosto de 2010.

¡¡Si quieres participar en nuestro biketour (según tu disponibilidad puedes unirte por unos días o semanas o para todo el tour) eres bienvenido!! Pincha aquí para registrarte.

¡El Ecotopia Biketour no es sólo un viaje por carretera a través de panoramas pintorescos, está cargado de campañas y acciones ambientales!

Vamos a participar en diferentes campañas en los lugares que recorreremos: apoyando desde la primera línea a las comunidades a reclamar sus tierras en contra de las industrias contaminantes, desenmascarando los mitos de la energía nuclear, tomando acción directa en contra de las industrias de petróleo y carbón, promoviendo alternativas a las expansiones de las carreteras, apoyando una transición que libere las ciudades de coches; al mismo tiempo que organizándonos para tratar los problemas globales que nos preocupan. Cada semana tendremos talleres, debates y (sin ninguna duda), diversión y juegos. Entre las paradas más importantes estaremos en la Conferencia de las ciudades sin coches a finales de Junio, el Campamento Climático de Francia en Julio y el Campamento Climático de Alemania en Agosto.

A lo largo de toda nuestra ruta esperamos conocer, convivir y aprender de las comunidades locales que practican el desarrollo sostenible en su vida diaria: fabricación casera, cultivado en casa, permacultura, renovables, reciclaje, conservación de los recursos naturales…

Y puede ser mucho más que esto: el Ecotopia Biketour será todo aquello que queramos hacer.

Únete a nosotros, si:

* Puedes recorrer en bicicleta una media de 50 km diarios (probablemente con algunos días de lluvia).
* Si estás interesado en los problemas de justicia social y medioambiental y quieres pasar a la acción.
* Si quieres tomar parte en las decisiones conjuntas de lo que hacemos (comunicación)
* Si quieres ayudar en las tareas diarias como por ejemplo preparando comida, el material que transportamos, lavando los utensilios de comida u organizando los lugares de pernocta.

¿Cómo participar?

Primero: lee los detalles del Tour en nuestra web y rellena el formulario de participación tan pronto como sea posible en la siguiente dirección:

http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/join-us/registration

Después: Entérate si necesitas visado para viajar por los países que recorre el tour: Reino Unido (un visado para esta zona) y Francia, Bélgica, Holanda y Alemania (el visado “Schengen”). Ponte en contacto con nosotros para que te ayudemos a conseguir tu visado.

Si estás en Facebook, puedes unirte a los eventos del Biketour pinchando aquí y entrar en nuestra página de Facebook aquí,…también es posible seguirnos a través de Twitter

Cada persona pagará una cuota aproximada entre 4-8 euros diarios (quién este en una situación económica mejor puede contribuir más que aquellas personas que tengan menos dinero). Esta cuota se destinará a cubrir la totalidad de los gastos, trabajo de organización, eventos, acciones, talleres, tres comidas vegetarianas por día y el lugar para poner la tienda.

Si te unes a nosotros desde el principio del tour, nos encontraremos el 25 de Junio por la mañana en Londres, ya que muchos de nosotros viajamos desde otras partes de Europa. Esa misma tarde nos unimos al “London Critical Mass”. Si vives en Londres y quieres colaborar (preparando el banner para la “critical mass”, en la serigrafía de las camisetas, en la comida, etc.) tus ideas, conocimientos y energía serán muy bien recibidas!

Viajaremos todos juntos hacia el norte en la mañana del sábado 26 de Junio, la localización exacta la decidiremos y os la comunicaremos pronto (tan pronto como encontremos un lugar de acampada para el sábado 26 de Junio a unos 100 km de proximidad al norte de York.

También puedes unirte a nosotros a lo largo de nuestro camino, pero nos gustaría saber con antelación dónde y cuándo nos encontraremos contigo. El itinerario lo iremos especificando (estamos trabajando en ello) un poco más en los días próximos.

Podríamos darte un montón de consejos y sugerencias para que te prepares para el tour, pero para no alargar más esta carta de invitación te sugerimos que navegues por ti mismo a través de nuestra página y busques la información que necesitas. ¡Si tienes dudas, pregúntanos!

Esperamos verte

Laura y Moritz
Coordinadores internacionales del Biketour de este año

info[at]ecotopiabiketour.net

Checklist for international organisers

2011-01-16T13:29:07Z

Globalvegan: /* Tasks IC after BT */

'''WHAT IS A INTERNATIONAL COORDINATOR?'''
International coordinator (IC) is a person (or few persons) who is responsible for making the whole biketour a big succes...
Haha

It is hard to give a dry description of this task as Biketour is different every year: different location, different countries to pass, different local organisers and ways of funding. There is no organisation behind biketour, but just enthusiast ex-biketour participants who will start up the project for the next year. Sometimes they are few so they can only arrange some basic funding plus a volunteer, sometimes more can be done (networking with local organisers-organisations, finding extra funding etc). So as international coordinator it is good to be instructed well by ex-biketour participants and organisers and to find your own way to make Biketour happen!

As I ([[Yo]]) was international coordinator in 2008 I can give u some help with just setting up a basic checklist for organising a Biketour. Feel free to use it and change and add things if neccesary! It can be a big help for coordinators in the future!

== CHECKLIST IC ==

=== First period ===
Collect information on Biketour from ex-organisers/participants (especially if you didn´t participate yourself). Important is to get overview what is already done for this years biketour. Important things to do in this first period:
*Arranging your EVS placement together with EYFA and local NGO/host: sleeping and working place, money issues, etc.
*Getting in contact with local organisers and volunteers (organise meetings) eg [http://www.worldcarfree.net/greenpages/]
*Find out where trailers and other BT materials are stored. They will have to be send to starting point of BT
*Find out if there is still money left of last year (ex international coordinator)
*Check out how the website and wiki function and start adding new information a.s.a.p
*read evaluations... can be usefull to not make same mistakes again.
*start with aplications for funding (in 2008 we had a budget of 2000 euro)

===preparation period ===
While keeping in contact with local organisers, volunteers, helpers in other countries (exbiketour) and possible participants you can coordinate and arrange all kind of practical stuff: see [[checklist for national/local organisers]]

Extra specific tasks for IC for preparation:
*Make sure there are NC and they know what is expected in organizing BT (see checklist NC). Keep yourself informed about progress of BT parts (go to/organize meetings).
*Inform all others (participants + organizers) on progress of BT and what needs to be done (weekly updates, add actual info on website/wiki). Helpfull is creating an overview with dates of a general route/time plan plus planned actions and campaigns (could be put on wiki and can be updated by local organisers!!!)
*Arranging invitation letters (can be written by local NGO)
*Arranging extra funding
*Administrative issues: collecting receipts, keeping score, arranging refunds for costs local organizers.
*Buying practical necessities: kitchen equipment, spare parts trailers, notebook...
*Arrange (skype)meetings (especially when mayor discussions have to be made fast or in case of conflicts)
*Make sure there will be material for BT publicity (flyers, t-shirts, stickers)
*Make sure there will be a press release which can be send out for actions/events in local language.'''
*Collect stuff for guidebook with information for participants and make sure it will be printed, translated and distributed'''
*registering of and contact with participants (ex-BT crew can help here)

===During BT ===
You can take a step back in organisation...During BT tasks should be distributed among all participants!!!! We are a horizontal group and one of our aims is to be a self-organised group. In 2008 we experimented first with personal tasks:
*telephone person: who keeps and answers the phone and informs others about this
*informer for new participants: who introduces the BT to new participants (explains our daily structure, consensus, participant fee.. etc.)
*money keeper: collects participant fee and gives money to shoppers
*press spokes person: gives interviews, informs journalists and photographers on our media policy (we don´t want to be followed by camera´s all the time).
*person informed on route and sleepingplaces: has contact with local organisers and informs other participants.
*person informed on actions: has contact with local organisers and actiongroups and informs other participants.
*person who keeps our fans(mum and dad)informed:writes daily sms to our weblog, reminds us to write our weblog and upload pictures.

Later we installed groups instead of persons for the route and sleepingplaces: routegroup. And for actions we had actionplanninggroup. We had much more groups, but lot´s of them didn´t do anything like the boardgroup (who was going to find us a board to write info on) and signgroup (who was going to find better materials to make signs)...

===Tasks IC after BT===
*administration - writing and SENDING reports to funders
*take part in evaluation meetings and help start up process next year
*upload photos, videos, blogs to website & gallery
*make and send DVDs/CDs if you are motivated (not essential)
*updating website and wiki
*distribute remaining materials (stickers?!)
*write report for EVS
*come to the next wintermeeting if possible!

Checklist for international organisers

2011-01-16T10:46:58Z

Globalvegan: /* Tasks IC after BT */

'''WHAT IS A INTERNATIONAL COORDINATOR?'''
International coordinator (IC) is a person (or few persons) who is responsible for making the whole biketour a big succes...
Haha

It is hard to give a dry description of this task as Biketour is different every year: different location, different countries to pass, different local organisers and ways of funding. There is no organisation behind biketour, but just enthusiast ex-biketour participants who will start up the project for the next year. Sometimes they are few so they can only arrange some basic funding plus a volunteer, sometimes more can be done (networking with local organisers-organisations, finding extra funding etc). So as international coordinator it is good to be instructed well by ex-biketour participants and organisers and to find your own way to make Biketour happen!

As I ([[Yo]]) was international coordinator in 2008 I can give u some help with just setting up a basic checklist for organising a Biketour. Feel free to use it and change and add things if neccesary! It can be a big help for coordinators in the future!

== CHECKLIST IC ==

=== First period ===
Collect information on Biketour from ex-organisers/participants (especially if you didn´t participate yourself). Important is to get overview what is already done for this years biketour. Important things to do in this first period:
*Arranging your EVS placement together with EYFA and local NGO/host: sleeping and working place, money issues, etc.
*Getting in contact with local organisers and volunteers (organise meetings) eg [http://www.worldcarfree.net/greenpages/]
*Find out where trailers and other BT materials are stored. They will have to be send to starting point of BT
*Find out if there is still money left of last year (ex international coordinator)
*Check out how the website and wiki function and start adding new information a.s.a.p
*read evaluations... can be usefull to not make same mistakes again.
*start with aplications for funding (in 2008 we had a budget of 2000 euro)

===preparation period ===
While keeping in contact with local organisers, volunteers, helpers in other countries (exbiketour) and possible participants you can coordinate and arrange all kind of practical stuff: see [[checklist for national/local organisers]]

Extra specific tasks for IC for preparation:
*Make sure there are NC and they know what is expected in organizing BT (see checklist NC). Keep yourself informed about progress of BT parts (go to/organize meetings).
*Inform all others (participants + organizers) on progress of BT and what needs to be done (weekly updates, add actual info on website/wiki). Helpfull is creating an overview with dates of a general route/time plan plus planned actions and campaigns (could be put on wiki and can be updated by local organisers!!!)
*Arranging invitation letters (can be written by local NGO)
*Arranging extra funding
*Administrative issues: collecting receipts, keeping score, arranging refunds for costs local organizers.
*Buying practical necessities: kitchen equipment, spare parts trailers, notebook...
*Arrange (skype)meetings (especially when mayor discussions have to be made fast or in case of conflicts)
*Make sure there will be material for BT publicity (flyers, t-shirts, stickers)
*Make sure there will be a press release which can be send out for actions/events in local language.'''
*Collect stuff for guidebook with information for participants and make sure it will be printed, translated and distributed'''
*registering of and contact with participants (ex-BT crew can help here)

===During BT ===
You can take a step back in organisation...During BT tasks should be distributed among all participants!!!! We are a horizontal group and one of our aims is to be a self-organised group. In 2008 we experimented first with personal tasks:
*telephone person: who keeps and answers the phone and informs others about this
*informer for new participants: who introduces the BT to new participants (explains our daily structure, consensus, participant fee.. etc.)
*money keeper: collects participant fee and gives money to shoppers
*press spokes person: gives interviews, informs journalists and photographers on our media policy (we don´t want to be followed by camera´s all the time).
*person informed on route and sleepingplaces: has contact with local organisers and informs other participants.
*person informed on actions: has contact with local organisers and actiongroups and informs other participants.
*person who keeps our fans(mum and dad)informed:writes daily sms to our weblog, reminds us to write our weblog and upload pictures.

Later we installed groups instead of persons for the route and sleepingplaces: routegroup. And for actions we had actionplanninggroup. We had much more groups, but lot´s of them didn´t do anything like the boardgroup (who was going to find us a board to write info on) and signgroup (who was going to find better materials to make signs)...

===Tasks IC after BT===
*administration - writing and SENDING reports to funders
*take part in evaluation meetings and help start up process next year
*upload photos, videos, blogs to website & gallery
*updating website and wiki
*write report for EVS
*come to the next wintermeeting if possible!

Call out for 2011 co-ordinators

2010-12-16T21:27:20Z

Globalvegan:

== '''Ecotopia Biketour is looking for two EVS volunteers to coordinate the Ecotopia Biketour 2011'''. ==

Ecotopia Biketour has been promoting sustainable transport and getting participants to the annual Ecotopia gathering for 20 years. Pedalling through a different part of Europe every year for around two months, it is for anyone interested in do-it-yourself culture, social and ecological justice. Moving all our stuff by muscle power, Biketour links with local environmental campaigns on the route. For example, taking part in action or workshops. We create an international, mobile eco-community as well as joining local direct-action. We will visit interesting places on our way: alternative, environmental, artistic projects and communities, nature areas and people who preserve them or resist their destruction.

One of the countries the Ecotopia Biketour might travel through in 2011 is Italy. The route is not decided - the future coordinators can give their preferences and take part at the decision of where the Ecotopia Biketour will go in 2011. Most years there is a topic on which we are focusing, but the topic of this year also is still to be discussed and decided.

The EVS scheme will fund travel expenses to the host country (ie. Italy), accommodation, food, insurance and other expenses,so most living costs are covered, but the position is not paid.

The position would start on 1 May 2011. We are currently searching for a hosting organisation, so the organisation, town and country are to be confirmed.

'''EVS volunteers for the Ecotopia Biketour 2011 will:'''

- Live abroad (ie. in Italy) for 6 months and get to know local environmental campaigns,

- Take part in the entire biketour in summer 2011,

- Find local coordinators and maintain regular contact with them and with their help prepare detailed route find (cheap) accommodation along the route for 20+ cyclists, campsites, schools, community-halls

- Co-ordinate the route such that the Biketour participates in actions and campaigns along the route, together with local activists e.g.:
- Critical Mass in some towns
- demonstrations, banners, leaflets, actions and campaigns
- visiting and supporting action sites, occupied forests or land, action camps, local activist groups, ecological festivals, or other activities linked to our topic.

- Spread information about the biketour's topic

- Mobilise cyclists to join the biketour

- Co-ordinate the updating of website/twitter while the biketour is on the road

'''Requirements for our EVS volunteers:'''

- They must be under 30 years old

- They must be a legal resident of a European country

- They must like bikes and cycling

- Have good spoken English (as English is the common language of most Biketour participants)

- Agree with the participation guidelines: http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Participation_guidelines

- Ability to communicate by email and telephone (mostly in English) and organize parts of biketour from a distance as necessary.

- Ability to learn about and use online tools, such as email-lists, blogs and social media

- Ability to learn about, develop and maintain the website, wiki, facebook, twitter, etc.

- Have skills in making links with the local community and local activists,

- Ability to produce leaflets, press-releases and other written materials (mostly in English) to promote the Biketour,

- Ability to work with local contacts to organize translation of materials into local language(s),

- Have an understanding of concensus decision making http://bit.ly/bTvjrx

- Join a wintermeeting at the beginning of 2011 (date and place to be confirmed),

- Find an EVS sending organisation in your home country.

'''Advantageous skills to have:'''

- Previous participation in the Ecotopia Biketour

- Experience of bicycle-touring

- Knowledge of other languages ie. Italian language (or the language of other countries the biketour would pass through)

- Experience of organising local environmental or social campaigns, media stunts and direct actions

- Experience of working in international groups of volunteers

Although organising such a project is fun, it is a serious commitment, as 20-30 participants will depend on the decisions and estimations made during the preparation, on the road in real life situations.

For more info on Biketour, what is is, how it works and where it has been, read:
our website - www.ecotopiabiketour.net
our wiki - http://btwiki.ecobytes.net
To join the biketour email list: https://lists.eyfa.org/mailman/listinfo/biketour

'''To apply to do EVS with the Ecotopia Biketour 2011:'''

Please write a short introduction to yourself, how you fit the position and which of the advantageous skills you have. Include your contact details, the country you would be sent from with EVS and email it to info@ecotopiabiketour.net with the subject: Biketour EVS 2011

Applications will be accepted as a first-come, first-served basis, and must be received before the 8th January 2011.

Call out for 2011 co-ordinators

2010-12-16T21:15:18Z

Globalvegan:

== '''Ecotopia Biketour is looking for two EVS volunteers to coordinate the Ecotopia Biketour 2011'''. ==

Ecotopia Biketour has been promoting sustainable transport and getting participants to the annual Ecotopia gathering for 20 years. Pedalling through a different part of Europe every year for around two months, it is for anyone interested in do-it-yourself culture, social and ecological justice. Moving all our stuff by muscle power, Biketour links with local environmental campaigns on the route. For example, taking part in action or workshops. We create an international, mobile eco-community as well as joining local direct-action. We will visit interesting places on our way: alternative, environmental, artistic projects and communities, nature areas and people who preserve them or resist their destruction.

One of the countries the Ecotopia Biketour might travel through in 2011 is Italy. The route is not decided - the future coordinators can give their preferences and take part at the decision of where the Ecotopia Biketour will go in 2011. Most years there is a topic on which we are focusing, but the topic of this year also is still to be discussed and decided.

The EVS scheme will fund travel expenses to the host country (ie. Italy), accommodation, food, insurance and other expenses,so most living costs are covered, but the position is not paid.

The position would start on 1 May 2011. We are currently searching for a hosting organisation, so the organisation, town and country are to be confirmed.

'''EVS volunteers for the Ecotopia Biketour 2011 will:'''

- Live abroad (ie. in Italy) for 6 months and get to know local environmental campaigns,

- Take part in the entire biketour in summer 2011,

- Find local coordinators and maintain regular contact with them and with their help prepare detailed route find (cheap) accommodation along the route for 20+ cyclists, campsites, schools, community-halls

- Co-ordinate the route such that the Biketour participates in actions and campaigns along the route, together with local activists e.g.:
- Critical Mass in some towns
- demonstrations, banners, leaflets, actions and campaigns
- visiting and supporting action sites, occupied forests or land, action camps, local activist groups, ecological festivals, or other activities linked to our topic.

- Spread information about the biketour's topic

- Mobilise cyclists to join the biketour

- Co-ordinate the updating of website/twitter while the biketour is on the road

'''Requirements for our EVS volunteers:'''

- They must be under 30 years old

- They must be a legal resident of a European country

- They must like bikes and cycling

- Have good spoken English (as English is the common language of most Biketour participants)

- Agree with the participation guidelines: http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Participation_guidelines

- Ability to communicate by email and telephone (mostly in English) and organize parts of biketour from a distance as necessary.

- Ability to learn about and use online tools, such as email-lists, blogs and social media

- Ability to learn about, develop and maintain the website, wiki, facebook, twitter, etc.

- Have skills in making links with the local community and local activists,

- Ability to produce leaflets, press-releases and other written materials (mostly in English) to promote the Biketour,

- Ability to work with local contacts to organize translation of materials into local language(s),

- Have an understanding of concensus decision making http://bit.ly/bTvjrx

- Join a wintermeeting at the beginning of 2011 (date and place to be confirmed),

- Find an EVS sending organisation in your home country.

'''Advantageous skills to have:'''

- Previous participation in the Ecotopia Biketour

- Experience of bicycle-touring

- Knowledge of other languages ie. Italian language (or the language of other countries the biketour would pass through)

- Experience of building local environmental campaigns would be an advantage.

- Experience of working in international groups of volunteers

Although organising such a project is fun, it is a serious commitment, as 20-30 participants will depend on the decisions and estimations made during the preparation, on the road in real life situations.

For more info on Biketour, what is is, how it works and where it has been, read:
our website - www.ecotopiabiketour.net
our wiki - http://btwiki.ecobytes.net
To join the biketour email list: https://lists.eyfa.org/mailman/listinfo/biketour

'''To apply to do EVS with the Ecotopia Biketour 2011:'''

Please write a short introduction to yourself, how you fit the position and which of the advantageous skills you have. Include your contact details, the country you would be sent from with EVS and email it to info@ecotopiabiketour.net with the subject: Biketour EVS 2011

Applications will be accepted as a first-come, first-served basis, and must be received before the 8th January 2011.

Call out for 2011 co-ordinators

2010-12-16T21:00:38Z

Globalvegan: New page: == '''Ecotopia Biketour is looking for two EVS volunteers to coordinate the Ecotopia Biketour 2011'''. == Ecotopia Biketour has been promoting sustainable transport and getting particip...

== '''Ecotopia Biketour is looking for two EVS volunteers to coordinate the Ecotopia Biketour 2011'''. ==

Ecotopia Biketour has been promoting sustainable transport and getting participants to the annual Ecotopia gathering for 20 years. Pedalling through a different part of Europe every year for around two months, it is for anyone interested in do-it-yourself culture, social and ecological justice. Moving all our stuff by muscle power, Biketour links with local environmental campaigns on the route. For example, taking part in action or workshops. We create an international, mobile eco-community as well as joining local direct-action. We will visit interesting places on our way: alternative, environmental, artistic projects and communities, nature areas and people who preserve them or resist their destruction.

One of the countries the Ecotopia Biketour might travel through in 2011 is Italy. The route is not decided - the future coordinators can give their preferences and take part at the decision of where the Ecotopia Biketour will go in 2011. Most years there is a topic on which we are focusing, but the topic of this year also is still to be discussed and decided.

The EVS scheme will fund travel expenses to the host country (ie. Italy), accommodation, food, insurance and other expenses,so most living costs are covered, but the position is not paid.

The position would start on 1 May 2011. We are currently searching for a hosting organisation, so the organisation, town and country are to be confirmed.

'''EVS volunteers for the Ecotopia Biketour 2011 will:'''

- Live abroad (ie. in Italy) for 6 months and get to know local environmental campaigns,

- Take part in the entire biketour in summer 2011,

- Find local coordinators and maintain regular contact with them and with their help prepare detailed route find (cheap) accommodation along the route for 20+ cyclists, campsites, schools, community-halls

- Co-ordinate the route such that the Biketour participates in actions and campaigns along the route, together with local activists e.g.:
- Critical Mass in some towns
- demonstrations, banners, leaflets, actions and campaigns
- visiting and supporting action sites, occupied forests or land, action camps, local activist groups, ecological festivals, or other activities linked to our topic.

- Spread information about the biketour's topic

- Mobilise cyclists to join the biketour

- Co-ordinate the updating of website/twitter while the biketour is on the road

'''Requirements for our EVS volunteers:'''

- They must be under 30 years old

- They must like bikes and cycling

- Have good spoken English (as English is the common language of most Biketour participants).

- Agree with the participation guidelines: http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Participation_guidelines

- Ability to communicate by email and telephone (mostly in English) and organize parts of biketour from a distance as necessary.

- Ability to learn about and use online tools, email-lists, blogs, social media, developing and maintaining the website and wiki, etc.

- Skills in making links with the local community and local activists,

- Ability to produce leaflets, press-releases and other written materials (mostly in English) to promote the Biketour,

- Ability to work with local contacts to organize translation of materials into local language(s),

- Have an understanding of concensus decision making http://bit.ly/bTvjrx

- Join a wintermeeting at the beginning of 2011 (date and place to be confirmed),

- Find an EVS sending organisation in your home country.

'''Advantageous skills to have:'''

- Previous participation in the Ecotopia Biketour

- Experience of bicycle-touring

- Knowledge of other languages ie. Italian language (or the language of other countries the biketour would pass through)

- Experience of building local environmental campaigns would be an advantage.

- Experience of working in international groups of volunteers

Although organising such a project is fun, it is a serious commitment, as 20-30 participants will depend on the decisions and estimations made during the preparation, on the road in real life situations.

For more info on Biketour, what is is, how it works and where it has been, read:
our website - www.ecotopiabiketour.net
our wiki - http://btwiki.ecobytes.net
To join the biketour email list: https://lists.eyfa.org/mailman/listinfo/biketour

'''To apply to do EVS with the Ecotopia Biketour 2011:'''

Please write a short introduction to yourself, how you fit the position and which of the advantageous skills you have. Include your contact details, the country you would be sent from with EVS and email it to info@ecotopiabiketour.net with the subject: Biketour EVS 2011

Applications will be accepted as a first-come, first-served basis, and must be received before the 8th January 2011.

Main Page

2010-12-09T13:47:45Z

Globalvegan:

(''nb: to edit the wiki, you need to [[Special:Userlogin|login]] with your account. if you dont have one, you make it [[Special:Userlogin|here]])''

'''For general info on the biketour, surf to our primary website: http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net'''

==Welcome to the wiki of the ecotopia biketour==

===Information===
*[[What is bt]]?
*How to [[join]]
*[[What to bring]]
*[[Frequently asked questions]]
*[[Route]]: where we will be and when
*[[Map]]

=== Organizing 2011 ecotopia biketour ===
This is a self-organized tour!

No club, no ngo, no political party. Just some people following an idea - since 1990!

We are searching for people who want to join BT 2011 and take part in its organisation - see '''[[Route 2011]]''' how far we got already and where u can help!

There is an explanation on [[what bt is]] and how to [[organise biketour]] and collected some nice [[ideas]] about improving BT.

Right now we are also working on the [[website]]. And where the hell is our [[stuff]]? 

====Tasks====
we have quite a lot of job opportunities :) smaller areas of the project, where u would be the right person to take responsibility:

* coordinating a bit of the route (regional co-ordinators are wanted who speak the local language, can help find sleeping/cooking places, plan the route & find suitable maps for that region, have the overview of actions along the route. See more here: [[Checklist for national/local organisers]])
* take care of our outreach during the tour: flyer, poster, website content, prepare an action, prepare a theatre piece, prepare actions, prepare workshop to be given to the tour members or to the public
* coordinate the outreach for participants and organizers
* maintain the [[website]]
* style/design leaflets, posters...
* [[International Coordinator#fundraising|raise funds]]
* take care about [[visa]]s
* overall coordination
* backup office
* presswork
* bring bt to social networks like facebook and keep it updated there

* You can help us on-line!!! We do need help with moving pages from our old wikis and websites - have a look down to [[#Archive|archive]] - to this wiki. Also the [[website]] needs editing.

* Wiki organization
* Take care of moving old texts to here
* You can learn on [[How to edit Wiki]] for contributing
* Link this orphan pages: [[Special:Lonelypages]]

==Last years' tours==
===2010===
We went through England, Wales, France, Belgium, Netherlands & Germany, and found it was very possible to live with little money even in the "expensive" countries.
*the [[route 2010|amazing itinerary]]
*[[2010 evaluation]]
* a google map [http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=118042301261299956345.00048202c943d91616145&t=h&z=6]
*[[BT 2010 advertising material|2010 advertising material]] - like flyers, the booklet, sticker design..
*Invitation to join the 2010 biketour (in 6 languages - translated by past participants)
*media

===2009===
In 2009 we cycled from Macedonia to Croatia through Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
*the traversed [[route 2009|route]]
*[[Links_BT_2009_-_Balkans|the links]]
*the [[Meeting_minutes/Felt_the_heat|final evaluation]], a sort of lessons learned.

===2008===
*[[lessons learned]]
*[[checklist for national/local organisers]]
*[[checklist for international organisers]]

===2007===
*[[Main Page 2007|Main Page of this wiki during 2007]]
*[[Route 2007|Route of Biketour 2007]]
*[[Map 2007|Map of Biketour 2007]]

===2006===
[[diary 06]], [[booklet 06]], [[pressrelease06 eng]], [[outreachmail participants 06 eng]],
[[traveltips to lithuania and poland]], [[short route description 06]], [[flyer06 eng]]

====Archive====
* campfire [[recipes]]
* [[texts about bt]]
* the 2005 wiki - bosnia, serbia, romaina and moldova: [http://bt05.seedwiki.com/wiki/bt05/?CFID=5513191&CFTOKEN=69760497&jsessionid=c2302637811172265372968] [http://web.archive.org/web/20071002184209/http://bt05.seedwiki.com/ backup]
* the 2004 wiki, quite some texts in czech and german: [http://bike_tour.seedwiki.com/wiki/bike_tour/?CFID=5513188&CFTOKEN=25088710&jsessionid=c2301409891172265371765] [http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://bike_tour.seedwiki.com backup]

Main Page

2010-11-01T00:44:38Z

Globalvegan: /* Tasks */

(''nb: to edit the wiki, you need to [[Special:Userlogin|login]] with your account. if you dont have one, you make it [[Special:Userlogin|here]])''

'''For general info on the biketour, surf to our primary website: http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net'''

==Welcome to the wiki of the ecotopia biketour==

===Information===
*[[What is bt]]?
*How to [[join]]
*[[What to bring]]
*[[Frequently asked questions]]
*[[Route]]: where we will be and when
*[[Map]]

=== Organizing 2010 ecotopia biketour ===
This is a self-organized tour!

No club, no ngo, no political party. Just some people following an idea - since 1990!

In 2010 we are planning to start in the UK at the end of June, go to the [http://www.worldcarfree.net/conference/ Towards Carfree Cities Conference], then onto the [http://www.campclimat.org/ Camp Action Climat] in France at the end of July, and finally through Belgium, the Netherlands & Germany in August.

We are searching for people who want to join BT 2010 and take part in its organisation - see '''[[organise BT 2010]]''' how far we got already and where u can help!

There is an explanation on [[what bt is]] and how to [[organise biketour]] and collected some nice [[ideas]] about improving BT. 

Right now we are also working on the [[website]]. And where the hell is our [[stuff]]? 

Check also our [[BT 2010 advertising material]] 

====Tasks====

we have quite a lot of job opportunities :) smaller areas of the project, where u would be the right person to take responsibility:

*coordinating a bit of the route (regional co-ordinators are wanted who speak the local language, can help find sleeping/cooking places, plan the route & find suitable maps for that region, have the overview of actions along the route. See more here: http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Checklist_for_national/local_organisers)
*take care of our outreach during the tour: flyer, poster, website content, prepare an action, prepare a theater piece, prepare actions, prepare workshop to be given to the tour members or to the public
*coordinate the outreach for participants and organizers
*maintain the website
*style/desing the website, leaflets, posters...
*raise funds
*take care about visas
*overall coordination
*backup office
*presswork
*bring bt to social networks like facebook and keep it updated there

* You can help us on-line!!! We do need help with moving pages from our old wikis and websites - have a look down to [[#Archive|archive]] - to this wiki. Also the [[website]] needs editing.

* Wiki organization
* Take care of moving old texts to here
* You can learn on [[How to edit Wiki]] for contributing
* Link this orphan pages: [[Special:Lonelypages]]

==Last years' tours==
===2010===
We went through England, Wales, France, Belgium, Netherlands & Germany, and found it was very possible to live with little money even in the "expensive" countries.
*the [[route 2010|amazing itinerary]]
*[[2010 evaluation]]
* a google map [http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=118042301261299956345.00048202c943d91616145&t=h&z=6]
*[[BT 2010 advertising material|2010 advertising material]] - like flyers, the booklet, sticker design..
*Invitation to join the 2010 biketour (in 6 languages - translated by past participants)
*media

===2009===
In 2009 we cycled from Macedonia to Croatia through Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
*the traversed [[route 2009|route]]
*[[Links_BT_2009_-_Balkans|the links]]
*the [[Meeting_minutes/Felt_the_heat|final evaluation]], a sort of lessons learned.

===2008===
*[[lessons learned]]
*[[checklist for national/local organisers]]
*[[checklist for international organisers]]

===2007===
*[[Main Page 2007|Main Page of this wiki during 2007]]
*[[Route 2007|Route of Biketour 2007]]
*[[Map 2007|Map of Biketour 2007]]

===2006===
[[diary 06]], [[booklet 06]], [[pressrelease06 eng]], [[outreachmail participants 06 eng]],
[[traveltips to lithuania and poland]], [[short route description 06]], [[flyer06 eng]]

====Archive====
* campfire [[recipes]]
* [[texts about bt]]
* the 2005 wiki - bosnia, serbia, romaina and moldova: [http://bt05.seedwiki.com/wiki/bt05/?CFID=5513191&CFTOKEN=69760497&jsessionid=c2302637811172265372968]
* the 2004 wiki, quite some texts in czech and german: [http://bike_tour.seedwiki.com/wiki/bike_tour/?CFID=5513188&CFTOKEN=25088710&jsessionid=c2301409891172265371765]

Main Page

2010-10-31T17:26:14Z

Globalvegan: /* Last years' tours */

(''nb: to edit the wiki, you need to [[Special:Userlogin|login]] with your account. if you dont have one, you make it [[Special:Userlogin|here]])''

'''For general info on the biketour, surf to our primary website: http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net'''

==Welcome to the wiki of the ecotopia biketour==

===Information===
*[[What is bt]]?
*How to [[join]]
*[[What to bring]]
*[[Frequently asked questions]]
*[[Route]]: where we will be and when
*[[Map]]

=== Organizing 2010 ecotopia biketour ===
This is a self-organized tour!

No club, no ngo, no political party. Just some people following an idea - since 1990!

In 2010 we are planning to start in the UK at the end of June, go to the [http://www.worldcarfree.net/conference/ Towards Carfree Cities Conference], then onto the [http://www.campclimat.org/ Camp Action Climat] in France at the end of July, and finally through Belgium, the Netherlands & Germany in August.

We are searching for people who want to join BT 2010 and take part in its organisation - see '''[[organise BT 2010]]''' how far we got already and where u can help!

There is an explanation on [[what bt is]] and how to [[organise biketour]] and collected some nice [[ideas]] about improving BT. 

Right now we are also working on the [[website]]. And where the hell is our [[stuff]]? 

Check also our [[BT 2010 advertising material]] 

====Tasks====

'''IMPORTANT''' What we really need at the moment are following persons:
*1 co-ordinator in Germany (BT will be there only 2 days cycling, 8 days in total between the border & Cologne)
*1 co-ordinator in the Netherlands (BT will be there 1-2 days in Limburg)
*1-2 co-ordinator(s) in Flanders [Belgium] (BT will be there for about 9 days)
'''Regional/National Co-ordinators are wanted who speak the local language, can help find sleeping/cooking places, plan the route & find suitable maps for that region, have the overview of actions along the route. See more here: http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Checklist_for_national/local_organisers
'''

we have quite a lot of job opportunities :) smaller areas of the project, where u would be the right person to take responsibility:

*coordinating a bit of the route
*take care of our outreach during the tour: flyer, poster, website content, prepare an action, prepare a theater piece, prepare actions, prepare workshop to be given to the tour members or to the public
*coordinate the outreach for participants and organizers
*maintain the website
*style/desing the website, leaflets, posters...
*raise funds
*take care about visa
*overall coordination – done at the moment by laura and jan – are u interested ?
*backup office
*presswork
*bring bt to social networks like facebook and keep it updated there

* You can help us on-line!!! We do need help with moving pages from our old wikis and websites - have a look down to [[#Archive|archive]] - to this wiki. Also the [[website]] needs editing.

* Wiki organization
* Take care of moving old texts to here
* You can learn on [[How to edit Wiki]] for contributing
* Link this orphan pages: [[Special:Lonelypages]]

==Last years' tours==
===2010===
We went through England, Wales, France, Belgium, Netherlands & Germany, and found it was very possible to live with little money even in the "expensive" countries.
*the [[route 2010|amazing itinerary]]
*[[2010 evaluation]]
* a google map [http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=118042301261299956345.00048202c943d91616145&t=h&z=6]
*[[BT 2010 advertising material|2010 advertising material]] - like flyers, the booklet, sticker design..
*Invitation to join the 2010 biketour (in 6 languages - translated by past participants)
*media

===2009===
In 2009 we cycled from Macedonia to Croatia through Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
*the traversed [[route 2009|route]]
*[[Links_BT_2009_-_Balkans|the links]]
*the [[Meeting_minutes/Felt_the_heat|final evaluation]], a sort of lessons learned.

===2008===
*[[lessons learned]]
*[[checklist for national/local organisers]]
*[[checklist for international organisers]]

===2007===
*[[Main Page 2007|Main Page of this wiki during 2007]]
*[[Route 2007|Route of Biketour 2007]]
*[[Map 2007|Map of Biketour 2007]]

===2006===
[[diary 06]], [[booklet 06]], [[pressrelease06 eng]], [[outreachmail participants 06 eng]],
[[traveltips to lithuania and poland]], [[short route description 06]], [[flyer06 eng]]

====Archive====
* campfire [[recipes]]
* [[texts about bt]]
* the 2005 wiki - bosnia, serbia, romaina and moldova: [http://bt05.seedwiki.com/wiki/bt05/?CFID=5513191&CFTOKEN=69760497&jsessionid=c2302637811172265372968]
* the 2004 wiki, quite some texts in czech and german: [http://bike_tour.seedwiki.com/wiki/bike_tour/?CFID=5513188&CFTOKEN=25088710&jsessionid=c2301409891172265371765]

Main Page

2010-10-29T22:11:26Z

Globalvegan: /* 2010 */

(''nb: to edit the wiki, you need to [[Special:Userlogin|login]] with your account. if you dont have one, you make it [[Special:Userlogin|here]])''

'''For general info on the biketour, surf to our primary website: http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net'''

==Welcome to the wiki of the ecotopia biketour==

===Information===
*[[What is bt]]?
*How to [[join]]
*[[What to bring]]
*[[Frequently asked questions]]
*[[Route]]: where we will be and when
*[[Map]]

=== Organizing 2010 ecotopia biketour ===
This is a self-organized tour!

No club, no ngo, no political party. Just some people following an idea - since 1990!

In 2010 we are planning to start in the UK at the end of June, go to the [http://www.worldcarfree.net/conference/ Towards Carfree Cities Conference], then onto the [http://www.campclimat.org/ Camp Action Climat] in France at the end of July, and finally through Belgium, the Netherlands & Germany in August.

We are searching for people who want to join BT 2010 and take part in its organisation - see '''[[organise BT 2010]]''' how far we got already and where u can help!

There is an explanation on [[what bt is]] and how to [[organise biketour]] and collected some nice [[ideas]] about improving BT. 

Right now we are also working on the [[website]]. And where the hell is our [[stuff]]? 

Check also our [[BT 2010 advertising material]] 

====Tasks====

'''IMPORTANT''' What we really need at the moment are following persons:
*1 co-ordinator in Germany (BT will be there only 2 days cycling, 8 days in total between the border & Cologne)
*1 co-ordinator in the Netherlands (BT will be there 1-2 days in Limburg)
*1-2 co-ordinator(s) in Flanders [Belgium] (BT will be there for about 9 days)
'''Regional/National Co-ordinators are wanted who speak the local language, can help find sleeping/cooking places, plan the route & find suitable maps for that region, have the overview of actions along the route. See more here: http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Checklist_for_national/local_organisers
'''

we have quite a lot of job opportunities :) smaller areas of the project, where u would be the right person to take responsibility:

*coordinating a bit of the route
*take care of our outreach during the tour: flyer, poster, website content, prepare an action, prepare a theater piece, prepare actions, prepare workshop to be given to the tour members or to the public
*coordinate the outreach for participants and organizers
*maintain the website
*style/desing the website, leaflets, posters...
*raise funds
*take care about visa
*overall coordination – done at the moment by laura and jan – are u interested ?
*backup office
*presswork
*bring bt to social networks like facebook and keep it updated there

* You can help us on-line!!! We do need help with moving pages from our old wikis and websites - have a look down to [[#Archive|archive]] - to this wiki. Also the [[website]] needs editing.

* Wiki organization
* Take care of moving old texts to here
* You can learn on [[How to edit Wiki]] for contributing
* Link this orphan pages: [[Special:Lonelypages]]

==Last years' tours==
===2010===
We went through England, Wales, France, Belgium, Netherlands & Germany, and found it was very possible to live with little money even in the "expensive" countries. You can see the amazing itinerary, the final evaluation, a google map.

===2009===
In 2009 we cycled from Macedonia to Croatia through Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Here you find the traversed [[route 2009|route]], [[Links_BT_2009_-_Balkans|the links]] and the [[Meeting_minutes/Felt_the_heat|final evaluation]], a sort of lessons learned.

===2008===
*[[lessons learned]]
*[[checklist for national/local organisers]]
*[[checklist for international organisers]]

===2007===
[[Main Page 2007|Main Page of this wiki during 2007]] [[Route 2007|Route of Biketour 2007]] [[Map 2007|Map of Biketour 2007]]

===2006===
[[diary 06]], [[booklet 06]], [[pressrelease06 eng]], [[outreachmail participants 06 eng]],
[[traveltips to lithuania and poland]], [[short route description 06]], [[flyer06 eng]]

====Archive====
* campfire [[recipes]]
* [[texts about bt]]
* the 2005 wiki - bosnia, serbia, romaina and moldova: [http://bt05.seedwiki.com/wiki/bt05/?CFID=5513191&CFTOKEN=69760497&jsessionid=c2302637811172265372968]
* the 2004 wiki, quite some texts in czech and german: [http://bike_tour.seedwiki.com/wiki/bike_tour/?CFID=5513188&CFTOKEN=25088710&jsessionid=c2301409891172265371765]

Route 2011

2010-10-12T11:50:51Z

Globalvegan: /* Wintermeeting */

During the biketour this year (2010) we had a couple of good discussions on the next biketours... we know that we will keep the name 'Ecotopia Biketour' even if we don't go to the gathering Ecotopia.

'''Add to this page please! Try to put comments or ideas about particular routes or ideas too'''

=== What? ===

The idea of a biketour for degrowth also had a lot of energy, from within the movement too (francois talked about the idea at a degrowth meeting in france) which is very strong in latin countries, yet not so much anywhere else in Europe.

Writing a funding application to get bicycles for people from poorer countries is a good idea and has worked before when it was in an eastern country. (Bulgaria??)

=== Where? ===

In general there was a lot of energy for the biketour going to Italy next year. Francois pointed out that we would have to be linking up with organisations who are part of the degrowth movement there.

1. Italy - Balkans (Slovenia, Croatia, BiH, Serbia, Bulgaria) - Istanbul, Turkey

- Alissa's dream biketour route - we have lots of contacts, of people who could help along the way - part of it would potentially be the same as 2008 (Sofia, Bulgaria to Sinop, Turkey) - the plan to go through Istanbul was re-considered during the biketour 2008

2. Switzerland - Italy - Greece

- connecting all the countries biketour's never been to - we don't have many past participants in biketour from these countries

3. Baltic states: Estonia - (Latvia, Lithuania, maybe Belarus, Poland) - Ecotopia, Germany (80km east of Berlin)

- Alek could be regional co-ordinator for poland (although he'd prefer to go to Italy with biketour) - Ecotopia? might give the biketour a warm welcome as people are involved who know the project

4. Barcelona - France - Italy - to... ? slovenia ? - this would include part of the way that Francois went with the donkey on his degrowth tour, so he has a lot of great contacts within the degrowth movement along this way.

5.... your idea here!

=== Who ? ===
There is Alissa who would like to help find sleeping places if she likes the route; Francois who would help if it's a degrowth biketour; people who could be co-ordinators in Hungary; and many of us who'd like to spread the word.

Who would like to be international co-ordinators is open !!

=== Wintermeeting ===

We have a proposal of a wintermeeting in Munich, Germany in December (Laura, Moritz & Alissa all liked the idea at least)

Another proposal is for Basel, Switzerland, where Caz who is keen to help organise next year's could also host a biketour meeting :)

2010 evaluation

2010-10-09T23:24:30Z

Globalvegan:

=== England & Wales ===
Who has the notes from the evaluation meeting of UK that we had when we arrived in Le Havre?
At worst we could remember what we said + type it in here.

One thing that was agreed all round was that the ENGLAND/WALES ROUTE was AMAZING.

Final Biketour evaluation meeting 2010 minutes follow..... very hard for me to write these up (not just because of people's handwriting!), there was a lot of conflicting suggestions so I have tried to collate them into something understandable...Not everyone agrees with everything below. (laura)

===Route===

*10 days in Le Havre: it was great to be able to help set up the camp, to not pack up our stuff everyday and, most particularly, to have time to prepare our own actions. '''BUT''' this was too long a stop in the middle of biketour for many people, especially those who only joined the tour there (the number of people went from 6 to 20, and the group split quite a bit as people went off cycling to join back with the group when it started to move daily again).

*In general, distances were good. 30km is too short for a day because we don't get far, and on every shorter day, people took their time in leaving & arriving because it was a "not far" & then weren't on time for meetings or workshops in the evening... to go further in a day is more satisfying & can bring the group together. (overall, we had many unforeseen 65km days)

*A lot of the countryside was industrialised, not wild enough. Cycling through these countries was often not so beautiful, but good for recruiting new faces - we met a lot of other cyclists :D

*highlighting the route on a map & putting it out for people to check it & copy it onto their own maps in advance is really great!! Having photocopied maps (double-sided) were great.

*Good that most days we had the option to go on velo routes / bicycle paths, or on a mainroad. The entry gates on bike paths in England were seriously bad, as were the cobblestones on bike paths in Belgium.

*Having a route working group is a good idea to avoid route discussions elongating circles (ie. to propose the way(s) and where to have lunch, etc.)

*The amount of food that was skipped/dumpster-dived/recycled/picked/foraged/blagged/donated was incredible. When people were active in collecting food in creative ways instead of buying, we spent VERY LITTLE ON FOOD. One of the best moments was when in small groups or individually, everyone, not just the dinner-/breakfast-/lunch-teams, had collected food instead of buying. The diversity of food that we got from bakeries, festivals, forests, farms & bins was incredible. Feeding the biketour is VERY FEASIBLE in expensive countries: there is a lot of excess there.

*Having people who know the route could set the pace to cycle to, for the group to cycle together. '''However,''' in practice, the people in front need to have a 'maximum' speed so that people don't get left behind if trying to ride together.

*Finding camping spots on-the-go worked Very Well - even though we were in France. The first ones to arrive around a designated village looked around or asked for a place to camp. People happily gave us access to water.

*Make realistic plans regarding where we plan to sleep: ie. Calais, the only place the previous point caused chaos.

*So much diversity with the sleeping spots was great - wild camping, housing projects, squats, social centres, festivals, farms and protest sites! Great how everyone came together to camp every night in one place. Only bad comment was camping next to all the cars at the Permaculture festival in Nethen - something to feedback into their own evaluation!)

*Nice to be flexible in changing the route. ie. going to the actions in Brussels!

*Planning the day more thoroughly might provide more opportunities to do things in a group: maybe this works in a bigger group? (20+ people)

*Have better "leaving times" to start cycling earlier - we managed this very well when we had an action to get to on time!

*Having a Belgian co-ordinator would have been nice, or at least having the maps/route we expected (clear communication needed, and for regional organisers to be willing at least willing to contact the organised sleeping places).

*Three cheers for our active regional co-ordinators!!! Mark, Guillaume & Marcha! Hip Hip Hooray!!!

*Three cheers for our hosts who were all so lovely and welcoming.

*Biketour signs are really really fantastic. In France we came across signs exactly the same as ours, already on the road: so our biketour sign changed to a ''backwards'' B with an arrow coming out of the top, often with an extra message.

===Group Dynamics===

*Great how everyone always helped clean up the sleeping places before leaving

*People had a warm welcome when they arrived

*In a group we all need to be much more flexible than normal, and to make common times to stick to.

* We never had a "vibes watcher" in meetings, often not a time-keeper, even though these are great tools for having effective circles. They're in the biketour booklet, we should use them. But, this is only really necessary in a larger group '''and''' to people need to learn the skill of self-facilitation, self-vibe-watching, etc, as groups can work effectively ''without'' roles.

*we were sloppy and never had action debiefs; they should be a mandatory part of each action!

* We were always on time for actions - YEAH!

* we need to respect other times we set as well (not just actions)

* Maybe building a group feeling is hard when you are moving place everyday... but small things help, little rituals like introducing the meals that have been cooked; having plenty of games and energisers. People bringing, organising and/or announcing spontaneously a workshop was great, because then we learn from each other, in a group!!

*Doing things in smaller groups is really great, to report back to the bigger group

*For conflicts: we could have a couple of mediators in the group as "go to" people for stressful situations - people who are calm and have experience with mediation; two people would be good, so that if you have a problem with one of them, the other is there to help.. (the role would probably change people a few times, as people came and went).

* If someone wants to block a decision they really need to remember to think about the group rather than just themselves.

* It's difficult when people don't know much about concensus

*Feelings circles are good - make time for them at least once a week. It's much more interesting than talking about how many hills we're going to go up the next day and who's going to do the dishes.

===Content===

* Is it possible to stick to just one theme when organising the biketour? It's difficult: there will always be something else interesting/activisty/on the way that becomes part of the tour.

*There was the feeling that the theme got lost on biketour (again)

*Website could give more information abot content & our actions: we had a discussion on issues missing / theories

*Content itself good, but perhaps we need more outreach to others

*media tools weren't used enough. (mainstream, indymedia, blogs, twitter, wesbite, etc...) BUT a lot of media is embedded in the system that we work to change so it's not so important, we want to function without it. We should use more flyers and banners to let people know about the tour as we ride...

*Make finding internet facilities to send/upload this sort of stuff a working group or task.

*In Calais everything was spontaneous, so not super prepared but connected with local activists & really experienced something different. Working groups worked well. Activists may have been evicted once we left due to our joint action, there is no blame though yet it's good to keep in mind what the action's consequences might have on people who are stay.

* More workshops. (in all directions: between ourselves; giving them for other people like hosts & locals; having them from other people)

* Circles are really important, especially to discuss/talk enough about actions: probably the action in Gent was so disorganised - we didn't even talk about a common message. Meeting is also important to organise other activities & to get involved in what well-prepared actions are coming ahead (by the network and international or regional coordinators)

* Communication within our actions was bad: it's essential to respect group decisions made about an action

* Missing: focussed action. Proposal: an initiation phase in BT where skills & knowledge of people gets clear and exchanged, so that we can act as an affinity group (so no action during this training) BUT people come & go constantly, so skill-sharing should kind of be ongoing....

* Critical masses fit biketour well, especially when we make them with local activists so it's big!

* It's difficult for biketour to really participate / interact with camps or big gatherings if you don't have really active people. It would be good for biketour to have a 'role' pre-arranged for itself in such cirumstances.

* Some BTers creating/organising 'secret' direct actions was positive.

===Planning/organisation===

*During the preparation, working alone from 2 different places without face-to-face contact
was stressful for the international co-ordinators

*Flyers were too late for recruiting people pre-biketour --> we should prepare them months ahead + use our own network better

*During the biketour organisation worked fairly well, but there's always going to stay things to improve.

*Cooking extra at dinner to have lunch ready for the next day works well up until about 15 hungry people,
beyond that number cooking double generally becomes too much food to cook in a pot at once.

*Breakfast + extra lunch things can be found/bought at once together

*Working groups during the tour worked well to spread responsibility, like people going dumper-
diving (le recup), foraging in the forest, asking bakeries for donations...

*In general to become less heirachal: *self facilitation *sharing info *sharing roles in meetings *sharing work throughout smaller groups *concensus workshops CONSTANTLY

*Good to delegate smaller decisions to smaller groups (bigger topics/decisions --> group discussion/decision)
ie. pasta or rice --> dinner team decision !
ie. where to have lunch --> route team decision !

*Important to leave space in circles / have different circles for more topics ie. feelings; workshops; media; actions.

*We should adjust framework of biketour (the number of people, length of time, etc) to suit the number
of people organising. ie. shorter biketour would be easier to organise.

*During the biketour this year there weren't enough people to extra tasks or to have a day-off from tasks - we never had more than
about 20 people at any one time.

*Ideal number of participants: More than 20, less than 50 (??)

*We still need help with wrapped up BT2010!

===Overall/Feelings===

*These evaluations are a good space for people to speak up & be heard

*Made good friendships + had nice experiences

*nice concept of a mobile community, nice to experience it & try to make it work

*quite some aspects that people don't always do or get involved in during their 'normal' lives

*people learned a lot about bikes, issues and more!

*good energy and wishes for another biketour next year!

===Next Biketour===

There are a lot of suggestions for future biketours already above and a lot of wisdom in the evaluations that are on this wiki from previous years (09, 08) too.

'''We had separate discssions on specific route and theme for 2011, at Nethen in Belgium and at the Klimacamp in Borschemich. see here: [http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Route_2011]
'''

2010 evaluation

2010-09-27T19:08:30Z

Globalvegan: /* Content */

=== England & Wales ===
Who has the notes from the evaluation meeting of UK that we had when we arrived in Le Havre?
At worst we could remember what we said + type it in here.

One thing that was agreed all round was that the ENGLAND/WALES ROUTE was AMAZING.

Final Biketour evaluation meeting 2010 minutes follow..... very hard for me to write these up (not just because of people's handwriting!), there was a lot of conflicting suggestions so I have tried to collate them into something understandable...Not everyone agrees with everything below. (laura)

===Route===

*10 days in Le Havre: it was great to be able to help set up the camp, to not pack up our stuff everyday and, most particularly, to have time to prepare our own actions. '''BUT''' this was too long a stop in the middle of biketour for many people, especially those who only joined the tour there (the number of people went from 6 to 20, and the group split quite a bit as people went off cycling to join back with the group when it started to move daily again).

*In general, distances were good. 30km is too short for a day because we don't get far, and on every shorter day, people took their time in leaving & arriving because it was a "not far" & then weren't on time for meetings or workshops in the evening... to go further in a day is more satisfying & can bring the group together. (overall, we had many unforeseen 65km days)

*A lot of the countryside was industrialised, not wild enough. Cycling through these countries was often not so beautiful, but good for recruiting new faces - we met a lot of other cyclists :D

*highlighting the route on a map & putting it out for people to check it & copy it onto their own maps in advance is really great!! Having photocopied maps (double-sided) were great.

*Good that most days we had the option to go on velo routes / bicycle paths, or on a mainroad. The entry gates on bike paths in England were seriously bad, as were the cobblestones on bike paths in Belgium.

*Having a route working group is a good idea to avoid route discussions elongating circles (ie. to propose the way(s) and where to have lunch, etc.)

*The amount of food that was skipped/dumpster-dived/recycled/picked/foraged/blagged/donated was incredible. When people were active in collecting food in creative ways instead of buying, we spent VERY LITTLE ON FOOD. One of the best moments was when in small groups or individually, everyone, not just the dinner-/breakfast-/lunch-teams, had collected food instead of buying. The diversity of food that we got from bakeries, festivals, forests, farms & bins was incredible. Feeding the biketour is VERY FEASIBLE in expensive countries: there is a lot of excess there.

*Having people who know the route could set the pace to cycle to, for the group to cycle together. '''However,''' in practice, the people in front need to have a 'maximum' speed so that people don't get left behind if trying to ride together.

*Finding camping spots on-the-go worked Very Well - even though we were in France. The first ones to arrive around a designated village looked around or asked for a place to camp. People happily gave us access to water.

*Make realistic plans regarding where we plan to sleep: ie. Calais, the only place the previous point caused chaos.

*So much diversity with the sleeping spots was great - wild camping, housing projects, squats, social centres, festivals, farms and protest sites! Great how everyone came together to camp every night in one place. Only bad comment was camping next to all the cars at the Permaculture festival in Nethen - something to feedback into their own evaluation!)

*Nice to be flexible in changing the route. ie. going to the actions in Brussels!

*Planning the day more thoroughly might provide more opportunities to do things in a group: maybe this works in a bigger group? (20+ people)

*Have better "leaving times" to start cycling earlier - we managed this very well when we had an action to get to on time!

*Having a Belgian co-ordinator would have been nice, or at least having the maps/route we expected (clear communication needed, and for regional organisers to be willing at least willing to contact the organised sleeping places).

*Three cheers for our active regional co-ordinators!!! Mark, Guillaume & Marcha! Hip Hip Hooray!!!

*Three cheers for our hosts who were all so lovely and welcoming.

*Biketour signs are really really fantastic. In France we came across signs exactly the same as ours, already on the road: so our biketour sign changed to a ''backwards'' B with an arrow coming out of the top, often with an extra message.

===Group Dynamics===

*Great how everyone always helped clean up the sleeping places before leaving

*In a group we all need to be much more flexible than normal, and to make common times to stick to.

* We never had a "vibes watcher" in meetings, often not a time-keeper, even though these are great tools for having effective circles. They're in the biketour booklet, we should use them. But, this is only really necessary in a larger group '''and''' to people need to learn the skill of self-facilitation, self-vibe-watching, etc, as groups can work effectively ''without'' roles.

*we were sloppy and never had action debiefs; they should be a mandatory part of each action!

* We were always on time for actions - YEAH!

* we need to respect other times we set as well (not just actions)

* Maybe building a group feeling is hard when you are moving place everyday... but small things help, little rituals like introducing the meals that have been cooked; having plenty of games and energisers. People bringing, organising and/or announcing spontaneously a workshop was great, because then we learn from each other, in a group!!

*Doing things in smaller groups is really great, to report back to the bigger group

*For conflicts: we could have a couple of mediators in the group as "go to" people for stressful situations - people who are calm and have experience with mediation; two people would be good, so that if you have a problem with one of them, the other is there to help.. (the role would probably change people a few times, as people came and went).

* If someone wants to block a decision they really need to remember to think about the group rather than just themselves.

* It's difficult when people don't know much about concensus

*Feelings circles are good - make time for them at least once a week. It's much more interesting than talking about how many hills we're going to go up the next day and who's going to do the dishes.

===Content===

* Is it possible to stick to just one theme when organising the biketour? It's difficult: there will always be something else interesting/activisty/on the way that becomes part of the tour.

*There was the feeling that the theme got lost on biketour (again)

*Website could give more information abot content & our actions: we had a discussion on issues missing / theories

*Content itself good, but perhaps we need more outreach to others

*media tools weren't used enough. (mainstream, indymedia, blogs, twitter, wesbite, etc...) BUT a lot of media is embedded in the system that we work to change so it's not so important, we want to function without it. We should use more flyers and banners to let people know about the tour as we ride...

*Make finding internet facilities to send/upload this sort of stuff a working group or task.

*In Calais everything was spontaneous, so not super prepared but connected with local activists & really experienced something different. Working groups worked well. Activists may have been evicted once we left due to our joint action, there is no blame though yet it's good to keep in mind what the action's consequences might have on people who are stay.

* More workshops. (in all directions: between ourselves; giving them for other people like hosts & locals; having them from other people)

* Circles are really important, especially to discuss/talk enough about actions: probably the action in Gent was so disorganised - we didn't even talk about a common message. Meeting is also important to organise other activities & to get involved in what well-prepared actions are coming ahead (by the network and international or regional coordinators)

* Communication within our actions was bad: it's essential to respect group decisions made about an action

* Missing: focussed action. Proposal: an initiation phase in BT where skills & knowledge of people gets clear and exchanged, so that we can act as an affinity group (so no action during this training) BUT people come & go constantly, so skill-sharing should kind of be ongoing....

* Critical masses fit biketour well, especially when we make them with local activists so it's big!

* It's difficult for biketour to really participate / interact with camps or big gatherings if you don't have really active people. It would be good for biketour to have a 'role' pre-arranged for itself in such cirumstances.

* Some BTers creating/organising 'secret' direct actions was positive.

===Planning/organisation===

===Overall/Feelings===

===Next Biketour===

There are a lot of suggestions for future biketours already above and a lot of wisdom in the evaluations that are on this wiki from previous years (09, 08) too.
We had separate discssions on specific route and theme for 2011, see here: [http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Route_2011]

2010 evaluation

2010-09-24T20:52:26Z

Globalvegan:

=== England & Wales ===
Who has the notes from the evaluation meeting of UK that we had when we arrived in Le Havre?
At worst we could remember what we said + type it in here.

One thing that was agreed all round was that the ENGLAND/WALES ROUTE was AMAZING.

Final Biketour evaluation meeting 2010 minutes follow..... very hard for me to write these up (not just because of people's handwriting!), there was a lot of conflicting suggestions so I have tried to collate them into something understandable...Not everyone agrees with everything below. (laura)

===Route===

*10 days in Le Havre: it was great to be able to help set up the camp, to not pack up our stuff everyday and, most particularly, to have time to prepare our own actions. '''BUT''' this was too long a stop in the middle of biketour for many people, especially those who only joined the tour there (the number of people went from 6 to 20, and the group split quite a bit as people went off cycling to join back with the group when it started to move daily again).

*In general, distances were good. 30km is too short for a day because we don't get far, and on every shorter day, people took their time in leaving & arriving because it was a "not far" & then weren't on time for meetings or workshops in the evening... to go further in a day is more satisfying & can bring the group together. (overall, we had many unforeseen 65km days)

*A lot of the countryside was industrialised, not wild enough. Cycling through these countries was often not so beautiful, but good for recruiting new faces - we met a lot of other cyclists :D

*highlighting the route on a map & putting it out for people to check it & copy it onto their own maps in advance is really great!! Having photocopied maps (double-sided) were great.

*Good that most days we had the option to go on velo routes / bicycle paths, or on a mainroad. The entry gates on bike paths in England were seriously bad, as were the cobblestones on bike paths in Belgium.

*Having a route working group is a good idea to avoid route discussions elongating circles (ie. to propose the way(s) and where to have lunch, etc.)

*The amount of food that was skipped/dumpster-dived/recycled/picked/foraged/blagged/donated was incredible. When people were active in collecting food in creative ways instead of buying, we spent VERY LITTLE ON FOOD. One of the best moments was when in small groups or individually, everyone, not just the dinner-/breakfast-/lunch-teams, had collected food instead of buying. The diversity of food that we got from bakeries, festivals, forests, farms & bins was incredible. Feeding the biketour is VERY FEASIBLE in expensive countries: there is a lot of excess there.

*Having people who know the route could set the pace to cycle to, for the group to cycle together. '''However,''' in practice, the people in front need to have a 'maximum' speed so that people don't get left behind if trying to ride together.

*Finding camping spots on-the-go worked Very Well - even though we were in France. The first ones to arrive around a designated village looked around or asked for a place to camp. People happily gave us access to water.

*Make realistic plans regarding where we plan to sleep: ie. Calais, the only place the previous point caused chaos.

*So much diversity with the sleeping spots was great - wild camping, housing projects, squats, social centres, festivals, farms and protest sites! Great how everyone came together to camp every night in one place. Only bad comment was camping next to all the cars at the Permaculture festival in Nethen - something to feedback into their own evaluation!)

*Nice to be flexible in changing the route. ie. going to the actions in Brussels!

*Planning the day more thoroughly might provide more opportunities to do things in a group: maybe this works in a bigger group? (20+ people)

*Have better "leaving times" to start cycling earlier - we managed this very well when we had an action to get to on time!

*Having a Belgian co-ordinator would have been nice, or at least having the maps/route we expected (clear communication needed, and for regional organisers to be willing at least willing to contact the organised sleeping places).

*Three cheers for our active regional co-ordinators!!! Mark, Guillaume & Marcha! Hip Hip Hooray!!!

*Three cheers for our hosts who were all so lovely and welcoming.

*Biketour signs are really really fantastic. In France we came across signs exactly the same as ours, already on the road: so our biketour sign changed to a ''backwards'' B with an arrow coming out of the top, often with an extra message.

===Group Dynamics===

*Great how everyone always helped clean up the sleeping places before leaving

*In a group we all need to be much more flexible than normal, and to make common times to stick to.

* We never had a "vibes watcher" in meetings, often not a time-keeper, even though these are great tools for having effective circles. They're in the biketour booklet, we should use them. But, this is only really necessary in a larger group '''and''' to people need to learn the skill of self-facilitation, self-vibe-watching, etc, as groups can work effectively ''without'' roles.

*we were sloppy and never had action debiefs; they should be a mandatory part of each action!

* We were always on time for actions - YEAH!

* we need to respect other times we set as well (not just actions)

* Maybe building a group feeling is hard when you are moving place everyday... but small things help, little rituals like introducing the meals that have been cooked; having plenty of games and energisers. People bringing, organising and/or announcing spontaneously a workshop was great, because then we learn from each other, in a group!!

*Doing things in smaller groups is really great, to report back to the bigger group

*For conflicts: we could have a couple of mediators in the group as "go to" people for stressful situations - people who are calm and have experience with mediation; two people would be good, so that if you have a problem with one of them, the other is there to help.. (the role would probably change people a few times, as people came and went).

* If someone wants to block a decision they really need to remember to think about the group rather than just themselves.

* It's difficult when people don't know much about concensus

*Feelings circles are good - make time for them at least once a week. It's much more interesting than talking about how many hills we're going to go up the next day and who's going to do the dishes.

===Content===

* Is it possible to stick to just one theme when organising the biketour? It's difficult: there will always be something else interesting/activisty/on the way that becomes part of the tour.

*There was the feeling that the theme got lost on biketour (again)

*Website could give more information abot content & our actions: we had a discussion on issues missing / theories

*Content itself good, but perhaps we need more outreach to others

*media tools weren't used enough. (mainstream, indymedia, blogs, twitter, wesbite, etc...) as well as flyers and banners. These are all things to use more!

*Make finding internet facilities to send/upload this sort of stuff a working group or task.

*In Calais everything was spontaneous, so not super prepared but connected with local activists & really experienced something different. Working groups worked well. Activists may have been evicted once we left due to our joint action, there is no blame though yet it's good to keep in mind what the action's consequences might have on people who are stay.

* More workshops. (in all directions: between ourselves; giving them for other people like hosts & locals; having them from other people)

* Circles are really important, especially to discuss/talk enough about actions: probably the action in Gent was so disorganised - we didn't even talk about a common message. Meeting is also important to organise other activities & to get involved in what well-prepared actions are coming ahead (by the network and international or regional coordinators)

* Communication within our actions was bad: it's essential to respect group decisions made about an action

* Critical masses fit biketour well, especially when we make them with local activists so it's big!

* It's difficult for biketour to really participate / interact with camps or big gatherings if you don't have really active people. It would be good for biketour to have a 'role' pre-arranged for itself in such cirumstances.

* Some BTers creating/organising 'secret' direct actions was positive.

===Planning/organisation===

===Overall/Feelings===

===Next Biketour===

There are a lot of suggestions for future biketours already above and a lot of wisdom in the evaluations that are on this wiki from previous years (09, 08) too.
We had separate discssions on specific route and theme for 2011, see here: [http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Route_2011]

2010 evaluation

2010-09-23T15:45:11Z

Globalvegan:

=== England & Wales ===
Who has the notes from the evaluation meeting of UK that we had when we arrived in Le Havre?
At worst we could remember what we said + type it in here.

One thing that was agreed all round was that the ENGLAND/WALES ROUTE was AMAZING.

Final Biketour evaluation meeting 2010 minutes follow..... very hard for me to write these up (not just because of people's handwriting!), there was a lot of conflicting suggestions so I have tried to collate them into something understandable... (laura)

===Route===

*10 days in Le Havre: it was great to be able to help set up the camp, to not pack up our stuff everyday and, most particularly, to have time to prepare our own actions. '''BUT''' this was too long a stop in the middle of biketour for many people, especially those who only joined the tour there (the number of people went from 6 to 20, and the group split quite a bit as people went off cycling to join back with the group when it started to move daily again).

*In general, distances were good. 30km is too short for a day because we don't get far, and on every shorter day, people took their time in leaving & arriving because it was a "not far" & then weren't on time for meetings or workshops in the evening... to go further in a day is more satisfying & can bring the group together. (overall, we had many unforeseen 65km days)

*A lot of the countryside was industrialised, not wild enough. Cycling through these countries was often not so beautiful, but good for recruiting new faces - we met a lot of other cyclists :D

*highlighting the route on a map & putting it out for people to check it & copy it onto their own maps in advance is really great!! Having photocopied maps (double-sided) were great.

*Good that most days we had the option to go on velo routes / bicycle paths, or on a mainroad. The entry gates on bike paths in England were seriously bad, as were the cobblestones on bike paths in Belgium.

*Having a route working group is a good idea to avoid route discussions elongating circles (ie. to propose the way(s) and where to have lunch, etc.)

*The amount of food that was skipped/dumpster-dived/recycled/picked/foraged/blagged/donated was incredible. When people were active in collecting food in creative ways instead of buying, we spent VERY LITTLE ON FOOD. One of the best moments was when in small groups or individually, everyone, not just the dinner-/breakfast-/lunch-teams, had collected food instead of buying. The diversity of food that we got from bakeries, festivals, forests, farms & bins was incredible. Feeding the biketour is VERY FEASIBLE in expensive countries: there is a lot of excess there.

*Having people who know the route could set the pace to cycle to, for the group to cycle together. '''However,''' in practice, the people in front need to have a 'maximum' speed so that people don't get left behind if trying to ride together.

*Finding camping spots on-the-go worked Very Well - even though we were in France. The first ones to arrive around a designated village looked around or asked for a place to camp. People happily gave us access to water.

*Make realistic plans regarding where we plan to sleep: ie. Calais, the only place the previous point caused chaos.

*So much diversity with the sleeping spots was great - wild camping, housing projects, squats, social centres, festivals, farms and protest sites! Great how everyone came together to camp every night in one place. Only bad comment was camping next to all the cars at the Permaculture festival in Nethen - something to feedback into their own evaluation!)

*Nice to be flexible in changing the route. ie. going to the actions in Brussels!

*Planning the day more thoroughly might provide more opportunities to do things in a group: maybe this works in a bigger group? (20+ people)

*Have better "leaving times" to start cycling earlier - we managed this very well when we had an action to get to on time!

*Having a Belgian co-ordinator would have been nice, or at least having the maps/route we expected (clear communication needed, and for regional organisers to be willing at least willing to contact the organised sleeping places).

*Three cheers for our active regional co-ordinators!!! Mark, Guillaume & Marcha! Hip Hip Hooray!!!

*Three cheers for our hosts who were all so lovely and welcoming.

*Biketour signs are really really fantastic. In France we came across signs exactly the same as ours, already on the road: so our biketour sign changed to a ''backwards'' B with an arrow coming out of the top, often with an extra message.

===Group Dynamics===

*Great how everyone always helped clean up the sleeping places before leaving

*In a group we all need to be much more flexible than normal, and to make common times to stick to.

* We never had a "vibes watcher" in meetings, often not a time-keeper, even though these are great tools for having effective circles. They're in the biketour booklet, we should use them. But, this is only really necessary in a larger group '''and''' to people need to learn the skill of self-facilitation, self-vibe-watching, etc, as groups can work effectively ''without'' roles.

*we were sloppy and never had action debiefs; they should be a mandatory part of each action!

* We were always on time for actions - YEAH!

* we need to respect other times we set as well (not just actions)

* Maybe building a group feeling is hard when you are moving place everyday... but small things help, little rituals like introducing the meals that have been cooked; having plenty of games and energisers. People bringing, organising and/or announcing spontaneously a workshop was great, because then we learn from each other, in a group!!

*Doing things in smaller groups is really great, to report back to the bigger group

*For conflicts: we could have a couple of mediators in the group as "go to" people for stressful situations - people who are calm and have experience with mediation; two people would be good, so that if you have a problem with one of them, the other is there to help.. (the role would probably change people a few times, as people came and went).

* If someone wants to block a decision they really need to remember to think about the group rather than just themselves.

* It's difficult when people don't know much about concensus

*Feelings circles are good - make time for them at least once a week. It's much more interesting than talking about how many hills we're going to go up the next day and who's going to do the dishes.

===Content===

* Is it possible to stick to just one theme when organising the biketour? It's difficult: there will always be something else interesting/activisty/on the way that becomes part of the tour.

*There was the feeling that the theme got lost on biketour (again)

*Website could give more information abot content & our actions: we had a discussion on issues missing / theories

*Content itself good, but perhaps we need more outreach to others

*media tools weren't used enough. (mainstream, indymedia, blogs, twitter, wesbite, etc...) as well as flyers and banners. These are all things to use more!

*Make finding internet facilities to send/upload this sort of stuff a working group or task.

*In Calais everything was spontaneous, so not super prepared but connected with local activists & really experienced something different. Working groups worked well. Activists may have been evicted once we left due to our joint action, there is no blame though yet it's good to keep in mind what the action's consequences might have on people who are stay.

* Circles are really important, especially to discuss/talk enough about actions: probably the action in Gent was so disorganised - we didn't even talk about a common message. Meeting is also important to organise other activities & to get involved in what well-prepared actions are coming ahead (by the network and international or regional coordinators)

* Communication within our actions was bad: we need to respect group decisions made about the action

* Some BTers creating/organising 'secret' direct actions was positive.

===Planning/organisation===

===Overall/Feelings===

===Next Biketour===

There are a lot of suggestions for future biketours already above and a lot of wisdom in the evaluations that are on this wiki from previous years (09, 08) too.
We had separate discssions on specific route and theme for 2011, see here: [http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Route_2011]

2010 evaluation

2010-09-23T15:12:36Z

Globalvegan:

Main Page

2010-09-23T10:29:50Z

Route 2010

2010-08-17T15:21:47Z

Globalvegan: /* BELGIUM */ new plans for belgium !

= Overview =
The Ecotopia Biketour will move from Northern England, through France, Belgium, (maybe the Netherlands briefly) and Germany. [http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=118042301261299956345.00048202c943d91616145&t=h&z=6 See the rough route on googlemaps] It will be about 1600km long, which is shorter than last year's and we'll take a little more time to do it (a bit over two months). (Hopefully it's an improvement...ah, don't you love learning from lessons!)

Places + events + dates we are planning for so far:

===ENGLAND:===

'''Pre-Biketour week''' a few events happening in London that you might want to come along to if you arrive in London before Friday:

General meeting place and 'home' for us in the week is the arts organisation that Mark works at: Artsadmin, Toynbee Studios, 28 Commercial Street, London E1 6AB
*Map and directions at http://www.artsadmin.co.uk/toynbeestudios/
*Going on all week is the Interference project http://www.artsadmin.co.uk/education/project.php?id=299 which has a fixed group so we can't join in, but there are extra things going on in connection to it that we can take part in, especially the evenings and on Friday.
*At Artsadmin there are free showers (and there's a cafe but it's a bit expensive)

Sunday 20 June
*Laura and Wouter arrive in London to stay with Mark and have a nice time in London, finish a million last things for organising BT 2010, do some t-shirt, flyer, sticker and patch printing and get our equipment together!

Monday 21 June
*1800 - Climate Camp London action in central London - Bloody Oil! Drum it Out! http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/get-involved/local-groups/london

Tuesday 22 June
*1900-2100 - free workshop on Twitter for activists -The Tweet Smell of Success http://just-do-it.org.uk/twitter-training-for-activists

Wednesday 23 June
*Daytime - some of us might be going to near Heathrow Airport to meet Grow Heathrow http://www.transitionheathrow.com/grow-heathrow
*Evening - meeting about BT 2010 budget, and maybe a cinema night at the Ratstar

Thursday 24 June
*Daytime - maybe a lot of people are arriving today - come to Artsadmin to meet up in the Brick Room and find out what jobs we need you to do!
*1900-2200 - free Interference activist artist film night in the Theatre at Artsadmin with food and drink.
*Go to our sleeping place in Camberwell together - The Ratstar, 298-300 Camberwell Road, London SE5 0DL - 6km from Artsadmin

Friday 25 June - '''the day that Ecotopia Biketour 2010 really starts!'''
*Daytime - taking part in the last day of Artsadmin's Interference project, building our own portable rocket stove, screenprinting t-shirts and flags, and fixing up our bikes with some visiting mechanics.
*1800 London Critical Mass! meet at the South Bank, under Waterloo Bridge southern end, 4km from Artsadmin and the Ratstar. Critical mass gathers from 1800 but usually doesn't leave until 1900 so don't worry if you're running late.
*Go to the Ratstar

Saturday 26 June
*Quick group meeting to organise food and travel, introductions, clarify what we're doing today and in the next few days.
*1000 first group leaves the Ratstar to go to Kings Cross station.
*We are travelling on 3 different trains in groups of 5 from London Kings Cross to Darlington leaving at 1130, 1200 and 1600
*We are arriving at Darlington station between 1400 and 1830, and will be met be people from the Darlington Cycle Campaign http://bikedarlington.blogspot.com/ and Darlington Friends of the Earth http://darlingtonfoe.blogspot.com/ who will cycle the 10km with us to our first sleeping place Clow Beck Eco Centre http://www.clervaux.org.uk/index.php?s=farm&a=68&p=main, where we will cook for ourselves and watch the film 'Beauty and the Bike'. http://www.bikebeauty.org/
*If you can afford it, please pay the cost of 19GBP for your train ticket, we have some funding to pay for some of these tickets, but not all of them. (To be discussed on the tour)

Sunday 27 June - Darlington to Botton Village (near Danby) 55km

Monday 28 June - Botton to York - 65km - '''a big day of cycling with a big hill at the start'''
*Sleeping place in York: St Barnabas Church Hall, details to follow
*Monday night TCCC pub crawl

Tuesday 29 June - York
*participate in the "Open day" at the Towards Carfree Cities Conference IX [http://www.worldcarfree.net/conference/]
*Carfree film night

Wednesday 30 June - York
*Biketour Consensus Decision Making workshop led by Seeds for Change [http://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/] 1000-1700
*Possible TCCC boat trip in the evening

Thursday 1 - York-Pontefract - 50km
*We will cycle through 'Megawatt Valley' where three of the biggest coal fired power stations in the UK sit near each other. The largest, Drax Power station provide 7% of the UK's electricity and is the UK's single largest emitter of carbon dioxide, and the highest estimated emitter of Nitrogen Oxide in the European Union.

Friday 2 July - Pontefract to Leeds - 40km

Saturday 3 July - Leeds
*Workshop day, led by us: What on earth is this "climate justice"? ; Vegan cooking ; Bicycle maintenance & repair ; open to more (feel free to prepare something of 1 hour!)

Sunday 4 July - Leeds-Sheffield - 60km - '''a big day of cycling going from one big city to another through a fairly urban area'''

Monday 5 July - Sheffield-Wincle (near Buxton) - 55km

Tuesday 6 July - Wincle-Whitchurch - 65km

Wednesday 7 July - Whitchurch-Huntington Lane Camp (near Telford) - 40km

Thursday 8 & Friday 9 July - Huntington Lane Camp [http://defendhuntingtonlane.wordpress.com/]
*rest days, or optional visit by train to Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales [http://www.cat.org.uk/], or action around the Huntington Lane camp

Saturday 10 July - Huntington Lane-Leintwardine, Craven Arms - 50km

Sunday 11 July - Leintwardine-Canon Frome Court (near Hereford) - 50km

===WALES===

Mon 12 July - Canon Frome-Abergavenny - 55km
*staying at Abergavenny Gaia Coach Institute - [http://www.gaiacoach.co.uk/], Llwyn Ffranc Farm, Llanfihangel Crucorney, NP7 8EN (4 miles north of Abergavenny) Directions here [http://www.gaiacoach.co.uk/about_gaia_coach/find_us.phtml]

Tues 13 July - Abergavenny
*rest day, including some helping on the organic farm

Weds 14 July - Abergavenny-Merthyr Tydfil - 35km

Thurs 15 July - Merthyr Tydfil-Usk - 50km

===ENGLAND AGAIN===

Fri 16 July - Usk-Bristol - 45km

Sat 17 July & Sun 18 July - Bristol
In Bristol we are staying at a squat, you can find us here: The Factory, 2-8 Cave street, st pauls,
Bristol Bs2 8ru
*Day of visits to local projects/organisations in Bristol including Southmead Carnival

Mon 19 July - Bristol-Pewsey - 70km - '''a fairly big day - a long distance but completely flat with an easy route'''

Tues 20 July - Pewsey-Northdown Orchard - 55km

Weds 21 July - Northdown-Havant - 55km

Thurs 22 July - Havant-Portsmouth Harbour 15km & Portsmouth-Le Havre by ferry
*Arrive at ferry port at 0700, ferry leaves Portsmouth 0830, arrives Le Have 1245. This is the only ferry that day, we cannot miss it!
*We already have 20 cheap tickets at 16 GBP each for cyclists on this ferry - these will be taken by the first 20 people to register.After these might not be space for any more cyclists or you might have to pay more or take a different ferry, so register as soon as possible!
*We will probably ask you to pay us back for your ticket if you can afford it, we have some funding to pay for some of these tickets, but not all of them. (To be discussed on the tour)

===FRANCE===

* 22nd July - 1st August Camp Action Climat (french climate camp [http://www.campclimat.org] click link for directions on how to get there) Le Havre, France.

* 2 August - near Yport

* 3 August - Saint-Valery-en-Caux

* 4 August - Penly

* 5 August - Nolette, near Noyelles-sur-mer

* 6-7 August - Ruisseauville "A petits pas" [http://www.apetitspas.net] Environmental education, eco-construction

* 8 August - commune de Wierre Effroy

* 9-11 August - Calais - Helping illegalised migrants and no borders activists

* 12 August - Association Parle à ton Voisin, 522 rue de Cassel, Herzeele

===BELGIUM===

*13th August - Keiem, Belgium (camping on a field)

*14th August - camping on an organic farm: ' t Reigershof, Polderstraat 4, De Haan[www.reigershof.be]

* 15th August - same sleeping on the organic farm in De Haan, but activities in Oostende. Paulusfeesten and events: we'll play "climate monopoly" on the beach, have a mass dance lesson, concert with Cold Cut as part of the "Energy Union Tour".

*16th August - De Haan to Gent 70km. Staying in a squatted street at Plataan 85, Merelbeke.

*17th August - Gent. Banner making, bicycle repair, people's kitchen !

* 18th August - Gent to Brussels
Critical mass in Merelbeke in the morning 8-9am on the clogged-up road next to squat. Cycling 55km in time for the action in support of those who were pre-emptively arrested in Copenhagen, and are still being taken to court ! Meeting point at 14:30 in the canteen in Mundo-B building, at 26 Rue d'Edimbourg...Action itself: outside the danish embassy at 15:30 Ambassade van Denemarken, Aarlenstraat 73, B-1040
Sleeping at a squat called “123” at 123 Rue Royale !

* 19th - 20th August - Nethen - Permaculture festival www.festivalpermaculture.be
OR backup-plan is 10km through a forest called Meerdaalbos,
to camp at Oude Geldenaaksebaan 24, Bierbeek

*21st August - 35km - Linter - staying at Bredestraat 149, Neerlinter 3350

===NETHERLANDS===

* Sunday 22nd of August: cycling from Linter (Belgium) to Maastricht,
camp spot: field at Oude Smeermaeserweg 12, Maastricht. House phone: +31 (0)433251522. If you follow the 'Bosscherweg'from the centre of Maastricht, after about 2 kms there is a junction with the 'Oude Smeermaeserweg'.

* Monday 23rd of August: cycling through the hilly Southern Limburg upwards to Schinveld
camp spot: field at Boschstraat 17, Brunssum (Nico's place is at the village of Brunssum, close to the forrest of Schinveld)

This day we will both have an action/demonstration together with other cyclists against a highway plan around the area of Parkstad Limburg, and a presentation in the evening concerning the resistance against the existence and plans of the NATO AWACS flight base of Geienkirchen (just on the other side of the border) - details follow

=== GERMANY ===

* 24th August - 55km - We will arrive to the klima camp in Borschemich-Erkelenz, Germany!! [http:/www.klimacamp2010.de/ Klima Camp]

* 25th August - 60km - Bike-action around the coal mine + party at the klimacamp

* 26th + 27th August - workshop and action-preparation days

* 28th August - mass action day for the Klimacamp

* 29th August - Packing up the camp / A biketour evaluation on our successes, concrete suggestions on improvements and planning for next year's tour

* 30th Erkelenz-Cologne - 50km

* 31st Cologne - an ecotopia biketour 20th anniversary reunion party !

===Activist/Ecologist Events in north-western europe, summer 2010 ===

How did we come to this proposal? We decided to evaluate all events, camps and gatherings together, instead of automatically going to an Ecotopia gathering now. After lots of broad brainstorming and discussion, and an amazing compilation of activist events near the general route proposals, we came up with what you can see above. See the larger list of possible events here: http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Possible_Activist_Events_for_BT2010. Please add anything else that you hear about! The list can also be seen on an open edit google map at http://bit.ly/ceNwc6

= How to get to BT 2010 =

If you register then we'll send you the details of where we are the night that you want to join us so you can find us :) and if you need further help on how to get to a certain place, or you didn't recieve details.... email info@ecotopiabiketour.net and we'll get back to you as soon as we can!

=== UK ===

BT will be taking place in the UK from the evening of Friday 25th June until the morning of Thursday 22nd July but if you come a bit earlier it should be okay, just let us know.

How to get to the UK (please add your own knowledge and advice here) and also see the information on the [[FAQ]] page:

By train:
*Some advice on taking bikes on trains between the UK and other European countries here: http://www.seat61.com/bike-by-train.htm The information is mostly suitable to people coming from the UK, but just read it the other way round!
*If you are coming via Germany you could use the very cheap tickets - Schönes-Wochenend-Ticket (with which groups of five person can travell everywhere within Germany only on Saturday or Sunday for 37 €, no fast trains: EC, ICE) and London-Spezial (from any town in Germany to London for 49 € with ICE and Eurostar, can be booked online here: http://www.bahn.de/p/view/angebot/international/london-spezial.shtml, if you need help with the translation, ask Moritz).
*Some information about taking your bike on Eurostar: you can either carry it onto the train - but it needs to be inside a 'bike bag' (which you could make yourself) - or you can pay extra to have the bike transported separately (25 GBP, don't know Euros price), usually on the same train.
*For advice on taking bikes on other trains in Europe it's worth sending an email to the Biketour list to ask the experts there. [[Contact]]
*Taking bikes on trains in the UK is very complicated because we have a stupid system of around 25 different companies running different trains in different parts of the country, and each one has different rules about how you can take your bike on the train (sometimes it's free, sometimes you pay, sometimes you must make a reservation, etc.) This page http://www.atob.org.uk/Bike_Rail.html has the best explanation of each company's current rules.
*Booking tickets on UK trains can be done on lots of websites. This is the main one but is limited and sometimes doesn't show you the cheapest tickets: http://www.thetrainline.com/ A better website for ticket buying is http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/ which has tickets from all over the UK (I think) but gives good prices for trains between London and Yorkshire.
*On Saturday 26th June we have cheap tickets for 15 people and 15 bicycles to travel from London to Yorkshire by train leaving on 3 different trains between 1100 and 1600. If you aren't one of the first 15 people to register, or you are travelling on a different day you need to book another tickets. Contact us if you don't know what to do.
*In Germany, International bike tickets cost 10 Euros and are valid for most trains in Europe. http://www.bahn.de/p/view/service/fahrrad/mitnahme/preise_fahrradmitnahme.shtml

By boat:
*Mark has done some price research on all the possible route to France, Belgium & Netherlands http://bit.ly/dzeFXJ The cheapest ferries are the ones from Dover, and tickets get more expensive further away.
*Sometimes it is possible to 'hitchhike' ferries by having your bike put onto a lorry and travelling on the ferry with that lorry but you need to have time for this.
*There is the "rail and sail" offer from STena line that goes between amsterdam/ rotterdam/ any station in NL and London via Harwich. Trip including train and ferry costs from 39 Euros one way, if you book at least 14 days in advance. http://www.stenaline.nl/en/ferry/london/ Don't try to look at the dutch train companies' website, it's utter crap and doesn't even show this connection...
*You can easily count on £25 - £30 from most ferry ports to london by train and a wee bit extra for your bike depending on which train company you travel with. So the Eurostar might be cheaper.

By bus/coach:
*Bringing a bicycle by international coach is not easy, although Mark and Elissa managed to take their bikes in large cardboard boxes from London to Vienna by Eurolines coach to start the 2004 tour. This was a coach company from Slovakia, maybe that made it easier.
*Taking bikes on buses and coaches in the UK is almost impossible, don't plan to do this.

Cycles in London:
*It might be possible to get hold of a bicycle in London or somewhere else in the UK - contact us if you are planning to do this. You should allow yourself time to organise this, and be aware that the organisers already have a lot of responsibilities before the tour starts.

General notes
*Any more ideas how to come to the tour? mitfahrzentralen/ ride sharing, night train offers, the Czech bus student agency (do they take bikes?) '''Who wants to expand the list and fill it with details ?'''

=== THE NETHERLANDS ===

BT 2010 will only cross the most southern little stretch of the Netherlands of Southern Limburg between Sunday 22nd of August and in the morning of Tuesday 24th we will already be off to the climate camp across the border in Germany. Here are some tips for you to get with your bike to the Netherlands. If you come earlier and wish to see around a bit more, or you have questions, you can contact for possible help: mpeelen@hotmail.com or +31 6 270 28235 (mobile).

How to get to the Netherlands (please add your own knowledge and advice here) and also see the information on the [[FAQ]] page:

'''By train:'''

''international''
*From Germany/Switzerland/Austria can easily be done by train.Check for time schedules and prices the site of the German Railway: http://www.db.de/ Don't forget to activate the option 'with bike'/'mit fahrrad'. If you don't want to pay too much, also deactivate the train options for the quick line ICE ('Ohne ICE'). From Germany it's often possible to buy the whole way ticket, without having to get out after the border to buy the part in the Netherlands.
*The dutch booking site for international trains is: http://www.nshispeed.nl/, only possible for fast trains connections with Belgium, Denmark, Germany, England, France, Italy, Luxemburg, Poland, Czech, Swiss, and Austria. When booked in advance, prices can be quite cheap. Be aware that the different international train companies have different rules on if/how to transport bikes (check their websites).For example: Thalys only excepts bikes unmounted in a bike sack, max. measurements 120-90cm. Eurostar London/Brussels doesn't charge for bikes if you take the wheels, stirring wheel and seat out, but if you don't do this and pay you even have to register your bike if you want immediate access to it after arrival.
*You can also travel by train to/from other countries, but have to check this in either your country, or at the train station in the Netherlands. Unfortunately most options will be booked or rather expensive during summer.
*An international train ticket for the bike bought in the Netherlands costs €12,- single and €24,- return.

''national''
*To check train times and prices: http://www.ns.nl/
*Train tickets in the Netherlands are rather expensive. Return tickets (only valid for 1 day, or if chosen 'weekend retour' throughout a weekend) are a bit cheaper then 2 single ones. The only discount one can get is when you are the holder of a discount card ('ov studentenkaart'or 'ov kortingskaart' - €50,- for a year discount). The holder of the card gets 40% discount on tickets, and is also allowed to bring up to 4 ppl with the same discount with him/her. What ppl sometimes do is that they buy a 40% discount ('korting') ticket, then before entering the train or just when entered ask around to see if someone has a discount card and goes untill the same ending destination and if they mind that you join their discount? Quite a lot ppl travel with a discount card, so especially between cities you can always find someone. Important is the ending destination: if theirs differ from yours the conductor might make a trouble. Students often don't need a ticket (just the card), if that is the case then the destination doesn't matter (conductor can't know).
*In the Netherlands you can take your bike in every national train (take the entrance with a bike symbol). A dayticket for the bike costs €6,-, regardless the times you change train or where you go. You can by the ticket in a machine or at the ticket desk of a train station.

'''By bus:'''

*Unfortunately Eurolines here doesn't except bikes as cargo. You might try by totally dismantling and packing your bike corresponding to the max. size and measurements of normal luggage. Eurolines stops at all big cities, depending the route/country of departure, also at Maastricht. More info: http://www.eurolines.nl/
*There are a few East European companies (mainly Polish, perhaps also Czech) to travel with from at least Amsterdam, but I don't have the info about them. If you are stranded here and need to go that direction, we can ask around.
*CYCLETOURS is a tourist agency that offers holidays by bike, and (although not many) also direct bus lines with bike cargo to/from the Netherlands to/from different places in France, Italy and northern Spain. A return ticket is about €200,- and a single one half price plus €40,-.
For destinations and prices have a look on: http://www.cycletours.nl/data/assets/bussen.png
To book BE QUICK (holiday season) and write them an email with all your personal data (see http://www.cycletours.com/page.php?id=&category=bookthistrip&lang=&color=tours what data is needed) so they can let you know if still something's possible

'''By bike:'''
*The Netherlands is a bicycle friendly country: except for the hills in Southern Limburg (haha!) it's totally flat, their are bike lanes and clear bike routes pointed out everywhere. If you come from another place to meet the Biketour somewhere, you can figure out a bit rough route of places at forehand, after that you can just follow the different route signs during the trip. It's a small country and routes are usually well marked, so it's hard to get completely lost.

*''Their are about 3 systems of routes:''
**1 - ''White route plates with a red or green line around it and city name in it (often with a symbol of a bike in it, not always)'': The RED ONES are the MOST DIRECT WAY to get to that city by bike, it will be often separate bike lanes, but it might be next to the main car way, or even highway. Still they often go through nice places.The GREEN ONES are a bit more re-creative and GREENER ROUTES (though often a few kilometers longer as well)

**2 - ''LF-routes and other ANWB routes'': The wheeler association (ANWB, actually nowadays more focused on cars...) has set out a bunch or re-creative (nice scenery, mainly separate bike lanes) routes throughout the country. The LF are long distance routes through big parts of the Netherlands, for example the LF1 follows the entire coastline. Others usually make a circle and have some theme (like 'fortress' or 'farmland' route), perhaps less useful if you want to get from A to B.. haha. Anyway, the signs of those routes are white and 8-angle shaped, with the name of the route in the middle.

**3 - ''Knooppunten (connection knots) network'': The junctions between different interesting bike lanes (often through nature, or passing old town centers, etc.) are numbered. Someone following the knots can decide the route by following the knots (s)he choses, not on every junction but quite often there is a map on the road for orientation. If you just want to reach some destination using this network might be too slow for your taste.. you can always switch your way of cycling by following again the bigger ways with the city-signs. Be aware that a connection knot network covers a small area (perhaps 400km2) after which a new network (with new numbers start), so if you travel a longer distance you might cross more then ones a junction with the same connection knot number.

links connection knots networks:
- NLs: http://www.fietsersbond.net/fietsrouteplanner/fietsroutes-recreatieveplanner/ (you can chose here if you want to use the knot system, the most direct way or a combination)
- Belgium: http://www.fietsnet.be/routeplanner/
- Germany, county of NordRhein Westfalen: http://www.radroutenplaner.nrw.de/

'''City transport by bus, tram, metro:'''
*For bus, tram and metro and in all of the country you use the same ticket called ''strippenkaart''. However, the Netherlands is in it's transition period to change the paper strippenkaart for a digital public transport card called ''o.v. chip kaart'' (incredible shit and expensive and big brother!), but so far only in Amsterdam and Rotterdam (I believe) you cannot avoid it as you cannot use the old paper strippenkaart system there anymore. But anywhere else you still can. A strippenkaart costs about €7,- and can be bought at each supermarket, cigarette shop, post office or kiosk at the train/bus station. It gives 15 strokes to travel, each ride costs you 2 or more strokes (depending the distance you want to travel), switching vehicles within a certain tima (like 1 hour) allowed. So, a 'strippenkaart' gives the possibility to travel within a city several times or with more ppl on one card and is much cheaper then each time getting a single ticket within the bus/tram. If you only need to take a bus once, then you can also buy a ticket at the driver.
*Bicycles are not allowed inside those buses or trams, they are in the metro but most places don't have any. And besides: why would you like to take a bus if you can be somewhere within short time on your bike?

'''General notes:'''
*At the train stations of quite some cities you can rent a 3 gear bike for €7,50 a day (plus €50 deposit). Especially in the weekend it's best to make a reservation.
Bike rental Maastricht train station: +31 (0)43 3211100 (they keep reservations in stock till 11.00 in the morning).
*Best working hitchhike site for the Netherlands is: http://www.hitchhikers.org/
*Very accurate website to check your public travel within the Netherlands from door to door (or train station): http://www.9292ov.nl/

=Route questions for the rest of Europe=

Who would like to take on the over-view of Belgium ? Laura has it at the moment, but she's going to be on the whole tour, so it might not be so great for it to be just her, since she won't be particularly contactable.

:: For Belgium, google fietsroutenetwork or see http://www.fietsnet.be/routeplanner/ with 18000 km of bikeroutes in Belgium. And I'll ask around in my Maastricht web for Dutch contacts as it seems bt will go through south of limburg - Daniël.

= Route Ideas 2011=

Ideas for 2011 include baltic states, belarus, ukraine, switzerland, italy, greece...If you have ideas for 2011, however crazy, or if you are interested in being a regional or international co-ordinator, please do so on the bt-org or biketour lists, or write to info[at]ecotopiabiketour.net
It's really helpful (for themselves) for people interested in being co-ordinators next year, to join the tour for at least a week this year!
Also contact us if you're interested in doing an EVS (European Voluntary Service) project as the ecotopia biketour.

Route 2010

2010-08-16T20:33:32Z

Globalvegan: /* BELGIUM */

= Overview =
The Ecotopia Biketour will move from Northern England, through France, Belgium, (maybe the Netherlands briefly) and Germany. [http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=118042301261299956345.00048202c943d91616145&t=h&z=6 See the rough route on googlemaps] It will be about 1600km long, which is shorter than last year's and we'll take a little more time to do it (a bit over two months). (Hopefully it's an improvement...ah, don't you love learning from lessons!)

Places + events + dates we are planning for so far:

===ENGLAND:===

'''Pre-Biketour week''' a few events happening in London that you might want to come along to if you arrive in London before Friday:

General meeting place and 'home' for us in the week is the arts organisation that Mark works at: Artsadmin, Toynbee Studios, 28 Commercial Street, London E1 6AB
*Map and directions at http://www.artsadmin.co.uk/toynbeestudios/
*Going on all week is the Interference project http://www.artsadmin.co.uk/education/project.php?id=299 which has a fixed group so we can't join in, but there are extra things going on in connection to it that we can take part in, especially the evenings and on Friday.
*At Artsadmin there are free showers (and there's a cafe but it's a bit expensive)

Sunday 20 June
*Laura and Wouter arrive in London to stay with Mark and have a nice time in London, finish a million last things for organising BT 2010, do some t-shirt, flyer, sticker and patch printing and get our equipment together!

Monday 21 June
*1800 - Climate Camp London action in central London - Bloody Oil! Drum it Out! http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/get-involved/local-groups/london

Tuesday 22 June
*1900-2100 - free workshop on Twitter for activists -The Tweet Smell of Success http://just-do-it.org.uk/twitter-training-for-activists

Wednesday 23 June
*Daytime - some of us might be going to near Heathrow Airport to meet Grow Heathrow http://www.transitionheathrow.com/grow-heathrow
*Evening - meeting about BT 2010 budget, and maybe a cinema night at the Ratstar

Thursday 24 June
*Daytime - maybe a lot of people are arriving today - come to Artsadmin to meet up in the Brick Room and find out what jobs we need you to do!
*1900-2200 - free Interference activist artist film night in the Theatre at Artsadmin with food and drink.
*Go to our sleeping place in Camberwell together - The Ratstar, 298-300 Camberwell Road, London SE5 0DL - 6km from Artsadmin

Friday 25 June - '''the day that Ecotopia Biketour 2010 really starts!'''
*Daytime - taking part in the last day of Artsadmin's Interference project, building our own portable rocket stove, screenprinting t-shirts and flags, and fixing up our bikes with some visiting mechanics.
*1800 London Critical Mass! meet at the South Bank, under Waterloo Bridge southern end, 4km from Artsadmin and the Ratstar. Critical mass gathers from 1800 but usually doesn't leave until 1900 so don't worry if you're running late.
*Go to the Ratstar

Saturday 26 June
*Quick group meeting to organise food and travel, introductions, clarify what we're doing today and in the next few days.
*1000 first group leaves the Ratstar to go to Kings Cross station.
*We are travelling on 3 different trains in groups of 5 from London Kings Cross to Darlington leaving at 1130, 1200 and 1600
*We are arriving at Darlington station between 1400 and 1830, and will be met be people from the Darlington Cycle Campaign http://bikedarlington.blogspot.com/ and Darlington Friends of the Earth http://darlingtonfoe.blogspot.com/ who will cycle the 10km with us to our first sleeping place Clow Beck Eco Centre http://www.clervaux.org.uk/index.php?s=farm&a=68&p=main, where we will cook for ourselves and watch the film 'Beauty and the Bike'. http://www.bikebeauty.org/
*If you can afford it, please pay the cost of 19GBP for your train ticket, we have some funding to pay for some of these tickets, but not all of them. (To be discussed on the tour)

Sunday 27 June - Darlington to Botton Village (near Danby) 55km

Monday 28 June - Botton to York - 65km - '''a big day of cycling with a big hill at the start'''
*Sleeping place in York: St Barnabas Church Hall, details to follow
*Monday night TCCC pub crawl

Tuesday 29 June - York
*participate in the "Open day" at the Towards Carfree Cities Conference IX [http://www.worldcarfree.net/conference/]
*Carfree film night

Wednesday 30 June - York
*Biketour Consensus Decision Making workshop led by Seeds for Change [http://www.seedsforchange.org.uk/] 1000-1700
*Possible TCCC boat trip in the evening

Thursday 1 - York-Pontefract - 50km
*We will cycle through 'Megawatt Valley' where three of the biggest coal fired power stations in the UK sit near each other. The largest, Drax Power station provide 7% of the UK's electricity and is the UK's single largest emitter of carbon dioxide, and the highest estimated emitter of Nitrogen Oxide in the European Union.

Friday 2 July - Pontefract to Leeds - 40km

Saturday 3 July - Leeds
*Workshop day, led by us: What on earth is this "climate justice"? ; Vegan cooking ; Bicycle maintenance & repair ; open to more (feel free to prepare something of 1 hour!)

Sunday 4 July - Leeds-Sheffield - 60km - '''a big day of cycling going from one big city to another through a fairly urban area'''

Monday 5 July - Sheffield-Wincle (near Buxton) - 55km

Tuesday 6 July - Wincle-Whitchurch - 65km

Wednesday 7 July - Whitchurch-Huntington Lane Camp (near Telford) - 40km

Thursday 8 & Friday 9 July - Huntington Lane Camp [http://defendhuntingtonlane.wordpress.com/]
*rest days, or optional visit by train to Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales [http://www.cat.org.uk/], or action around the Huntington Lane camp

Saturday 10 July - Huntington Lane-Leintwardine, Craven Arms - 50km

Sunday 11 July - Leintwardine-Canon Frome Court (near Hereford) - 50km

===WALES===

Mon 12 July - Canon Frome-Abergavenny - 55km
*staying at Abergavenny Gaia Coach Institute - [http://www.gaiacoach.co.uk/], Llwyn Ffranc Farm, Llanfihangel Crucorney, NP7 8EN (4 miles north of Abergavenny) Directions here [http://www.gaiacoach.co.uk/about_gaia_coach/find_us.phtml]

Tues 13 July - Abergavenny
*rest day, including some helping on the organic farm

Weds 14 July - Abergavenny-Merthyr Tydfil - 35km

Thurs 15 July - Merthyr Tydfil-Usk - 50km

===ENGLAND AGAIN===

Fri 16 July - Usk-Bristol - 45km

Sat 17 July & Sun 18 July - Bristol
In Bristol we are staying at a squat, you can find us here: The Factory, 2-8 Cave street, st pauls,
Bristol Bs2 8ru
*Day of visits to local projects/organisations in Bristol including Southmead Carnival

Mon 19 July - Bristol-Pewsey - 70km - '''a fairly big day - a long distance but completely flat with an easy route'''

Tues 20 July - Pewsey-Northdown Orchard - 55km

Weds 21 July - Northdown-Havant - 55km

Thurs 22 July - Havant-Portsmouth Harbour 15km & Portsmouth-Le Havre by ferry
*Arrive at ferry port at 0700, ferry leaves Portsmouth 0830, arrives Le Have 1245. This is the only ferry that day, we cannot miss it!
*We already have 20 cheap tickets at 16 GBP each for cyclists on this ferry - these will be taken by the first 20 people to register.After these might not be space for any more cyclists or you might have to pay more or take a different ferry, so register as soon as possible!
*We will probably ask you to pay us back for your ticket if you can afford it, we have some funding to pay for some of these tickets, but not all of them. (To be discussed on the tour)

===FRANCE===

* 22nd July - 1st August Camp Action Climat (french climate camp [http://www.campclimat.org] click link for directions on how to get there) Le Havre, France.

* 2 August - near Yport

* 3 August - Saint-Valery-en-Caux

* 4 August - Penly

* 5 August - Nolette, near Noyelles-sur-mer

* 6-7 August - Ruisseauville "A petits pas" [http://www.apetitspas.net] Environmental education, eco-construction

* 8 August - commune de Wierre Effroy

* 9-11 August - Calais - Helping illegalised migrants and no borders activists

* 12 August - Association Parle à ton Voisin, 522 rue de Cassel, Herzeele

===BELGIUM===

*13th August - Keiem, Belgium (camping on a field)

*14th August - camping on an organic farm: ' t Reigershof, Polderstraat 4, De Haan[www.reigershof.be]

* 15th August - same sleeping on the organic farm in De Haan, but activities in Oostende. Paulusfeesten and events: we'll play "climate monopoly" on the beach, have a mass dance lesson, concert with Cold Cut as part of the "Energy Union Tour".

*16th August - De Haan to Gent 70km. Staying in a squatted street at Plataan 85, Merelbeke.

* 16th or 17th August - Gent. Banner making, Critical mass ??

* 18th August - somewhere south-west of Brussels

* 19th - 20th August - Nethen - Permaculture festival www.festivalpermaculture.be

*21st August - 35km - Linter - staying at Bredestraat 149, Neerlinter 3350

===NETHERLANDS===

* Sunday 22nd of August: cycling from Linter (Belgium) to Maastricht,
camp spot: field at Oude Smeermaeserweg 12, Maastricht. House phone: +31 (0)433251522. If you follow the 'Bosscherweg'from the centre of Maastricht, after about 2 kms there is a junction with the 'Oude Smeermaeserweg'.

* Monday 23rd of August: cycling through the hilly Southern Limburg upwards to Schinveld
camp spot: field at Boschstraat 17, Brunssum (Nico's place is at the village of Brunssum, close to the forrest of Schinveld)

This day we will both have an action/demonstration together with other cyclists against a highway plan around the area of Parkstad Limburg, and a presentation in the evening concerning the resistance against the existence and plans of the NATO AWACS flight base of Geienkirchen (just on the other side of the border) - details follow

=== GERMANY ===

* 24th August - 55km - We will arrive to the klima camp in Borschemich-Erkelenz, Germany!! [http:/www.klimacamp2010.de/ Klima Camp]

* 25th August - 60km - Bike-action around the coal mine + party at the klimacamp

* 26th + 27th August - workshop and action-preparation days

* 28th August - mass action day for the Klimacamp

* 29th August - Packing up the camp / A biketour evaluation on our successes, concrete suggestions on improvements and planning for next year's tour

* 30th Erkelenz-Cologne - 50km

* 31st Cologne - an ecotopia biketour 20th anniversary reunion party !

===Activist/Ecologist Events in north-western europe, summer 2010 ===

How did we come to this proposal? We decided to evaluate all events, camps and gatherings together, instead of automatically going to an Ecotopia gathering now. After lots of broad brainstorming and discussion, and an amazing compilation of activist events near the general route proposals, we came up with what you can see above. See the larger list of possible events here: http://btwiki.ecobytes.net/Possible_Activist_Events_for_BT2010. Please add anything else that you hear about! The list can also be seen on an open edit google map at http://bit.ly/ceNwc6

= How to get to BT 2010 =

If you register then we'll send you the details of where we are the night that you want to join us so you can find us :) and if you need further help on how to get to a certain place, or you didn't recieve details.... email info@ecotopiabiketour.net and we'll get back to you as soon as we can!

=== UK ===

BT will be taking place in the UK from the evening of Friday 25th June until the morning of Thursday 22nd July but if you come a bit earlier it should be okay, just let us know.

How to get to the UK (please add your own knowledge and advice here) and also see the information on the [[FAQ]] page:

By train:
*Some advice on taking bikes on trains between the UK and other European countries here: http://www.seat61.com/bike-by-train.htm The information is mostly suitable to people coming from the UK, but just read it the other way round!
*If you are coming via Germany you could use the very cheap tickets - Schönes-Wochenend-Ticket (with which groups of five person can travell everywhere within Germany only on Saturday or Sunday for 37 €, no fast trains: EC, ICE) and London-Spezial (from any town in Germany to London for 49 € with ICE and Eurostar, can be booked online here: http://www.bahn.de/p/view/angebot/international/london-spezial.shtml, if you need help with the translation, ask Moritz).
*Some information about taking your bike on Eurostar: you can either carry it onto the train - but it needs to be inside a 'bike bag' (which you could make yourself) - or you can pay extra to have the bike transported separately (25 GBP, don't know Euros price), usually on the same train.
*For advice on taking bikes on other trains in Europe it's worth sending an email to the Biketour list to ask the experts there. [[Contact]]
*Taking bikes on trains in the UK is very complicated because we have a stupid system of around 25 different companies running different trains in different parts of the country, and each one has different rules about how you can take your bike on the train (sometimes it's free, sometimes you pay, sometimes you must make a reservation, etc.) This page http://www.atob.org.uk/Bike_Rail.html has the best explanation of each company's current rules.
*Booking tickets on UK trains can be done on lots of websites. This is the main one but is limited and sometimes doesn't show you the cheapest tickets: http://www.thetrainline.com/ A better website for ticket buying is http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/ which has tickets from all over the UK (I think) but gives good prices for trains between London and Yorkshire.
*On Saturday 26th June we have cheap tickets for 15 people and 15 bicycles to travel from London to Yorkshire by train leaving on 3 different trains between 1100 and 1600. If you aren't one of the first 15 people to register, or you are travelling on a different day you need to book another tickets. Contact us if you don't know what to do.
*In Germany, International bike tickets cost 10 Euros and are valid for most trains in Europe. http://www.bahn.de/p/view/service/fahrrad/mitnahme/preise_fahrradmitnahme.shtml

By boat:
*Mark has done some price research on all the possible route to France, Belgium & Netherlands http://bit.ly/dzeFXJ The cheapest ferries are the ones from Dover, and tickets get more expensive further away.
*Sometimes it is possible to 'hitchhike' ferries by having your bike put onto a lorry and travelling on the ferry with that lorry but you need to have time for this.
*There is the "rail and sail" offer from STena line that goes between amsterdam/ rotterdam/ any station in NL and London via Harwich. Trip including train and ferry costs from 39 Euros one way, if you book at least 14 days in advance. http://www.stenaline.nl/en/ferry/london/ Don't try to look at the dutch train companies' website, it's utter crap and doesn't even show this connection...
*You can easily count on £25 - £30 from most ferry ports to london by train and a wee bit extra for your bike depending on which train company you travel with. So the Eurostar might be cheaper.

By bus/coach:
*Bringing a bicycle by international coach is not easy, although Mark and Elissa managed to take their bikes in large cardboard boxes from London to Vienna by Eurolines coach to start the 2004 tour. This was a coach company from Slovakia, maybe that made it easier.
*Taking bikes on buses and coaches in the UK is almost impossible, don't plan to do this.

Cycles in London:
*It might be possible to get hold of a bicycle in London or somewhere else in the UK - contact us if you are planning to do this. You should allow yourself time to organise this, and be aware that the organisers already have a lot of responsibilities before the tour starts.

General notes
*Any more ideas how to come to the tour? mitfahrzentralen/ ride sharing, night train offers, the Czech bus student agency (do they take bikes?) '''Who wants to expand the list and fill it with details ?'''

=== THE NETHERLANDS ===

BT 2010 will only cross the most southern little stretch of the Netherlands of Southern Limburg between Sunday 22nd of August and in the morning of Tuesday 24th we will already be off to the climate camp across the border in Germany. Here are some tips for you to get with your bike to the Netherlands. If you come earlier and wish to see around a bit more, or you have questions, you can contact for possible help: mpeelen@hotmail.com or +31 6 270 28235 (mobile).

How to get to the Netherlands (please add your own knowledge and advice here) and also see the information on the [[FAQ]] page:

'''By train:'''

''international''
*From Germany/Switzerland/Austria can easily be done by train.Check for time schedules and prices the site of the German Railway: http://www.db.de/ Don't forget to activate the option 'with bike'/'mit fahrrad'. If you don't want to pay too much, also deactivate the train options for the quick line ICE ('Ohne ICE'). From Germany it's often possible to buy the whole way ticket, without having to get out after the border to buy the part in the Netherlands.
*The dutch booking site for international trains is: http://www.nshispeed.nl/, only possible for fast trains connections with Belgium, Denmark, Germany, England, France, Italy, Luxemburg, Poland, Czech, Swiss, and Austria. When booked in advance, prices can be quite cheap. Be aware that the different international train companies have different rules on if/how to transport bikes (check their websites).For example: Thalys only excepts bikes unmounted in a bike sack, max. measurements 120-90cm. Eurostar London/Brussels doesn't charge for bikes if you take the wheels, stirring wheel and seat out, but if you don't do this and pay you even have to register your bike if you want immediate access to it after arrival.
*You can also travel by train to/from other countries, but have to check this in either your country, or at the train station in the Netherlands. Unfortunately most options will be booked or rather expensive during summer.
*An international train ticket for the bike bought in the Netherlands costs €12,- single and €24,- return.

''national''
*To check train times and prices: http://www.ns.nl/
*Train tickets in the Netherlands are rather expensive. Return tickets (only valid for 1 day, or if chosen 'weekend retour' throughout a weekend) are a bit cheaper then 2 single ones. The only discount one can get is when you are the holder of a discount card ('ov studentenkaart'or 'ov kortingskaart' - €50,- for a year discount). The holder of the card gets 40% discount on tickets, and is also allowed to bring up to 4 ppl with the same discount with him/her. What ppl sometimes do is that they buy a 40% discount ('korting') ticket, then before entering the train or just when entered ask around to see if someone has a discount card and goes untill the same ending destination and if they mind that you join their discount? Quite a lot ppl travel with a discount card, so especially between cities you can always find someone. Important is the ending destination: if theirs differ from yours the conductor might make a trouble. Students often don't need a ticket (just the card), if that is the case then the destination doesn't matter (conductor can't know).
*In the Netherlands you can take your bike in every national train (take the entrance with a bike symbol). A dayticket for the bike costs €6,-, regardless the times you change train or where you go. You can by the ticket in a machine or at the ticket desk of a train station.

'''By bus:'''

*Unfortunately Eurolines here doesn't except bikes as cargo. You might try by totally dismantling and packing your bike corresponding to the max. size and measurements of normal luggage. Eurolines stops at all big cities, depending the route/country of departure, also at Maastricht. More info: http://www.eurolines.nl/
*There are a few East European companies (mainly Polish, perhaps also Czech) to travel with from at least Amsterdam, but I don't have the info about them. If you are stranded here and need to go that direction, we can ask around.
*CYCLETOURS is a tourist agency that offers holidays by bike, and (although not many) also direct bus lines with bike cargo to/from the Netherlands to/from different places in France, Italy and northern Spain. A return ticket is about €200,- and a single one half price plus €40,-.
For destinations and prices have a look on: http://www.cycletours.nl/data/assets/bussen.png
To book BE QUICK (holiday season) and write them an email with all your personal data (see http://www.cycletours.com/page.php?id=&category=bookthistrip&lang=&color=tours what data is needed) so they can let you know if still something's possible

'''By bike:'''
*The Netherlands is a bicycle friendly country: except for the hills in Southern Limburg (haha!) it's totally flat, their are bike lanes and clear bike routes pointed out everywhere. If you come from another place to meet the Biketour somewhere, you can figure out a bit rough route of places at forehand, after that you can just follow the different route signs during the trip. It's a small country and routes are usually well marked, so it's hard to get completely lost.

*''Their are about 3 systems of routes:''
**1 - ''White route plates with a red or green line around it and city name in it (often with a symbol of a bike in it, not always)'': The RED ONES are the MOST DIRECT WAY to get to that city by bike, it will be often separate bike lanes, but it might be next to the main car way, or even highway. Still they often go through nice places.The GREEN ONES are a bit more re-creative and GREENER ROUTES (though often a few kilometers longer as well)

**2 - ''LF-routes and other ANWB routes'': The wheeler association (ANWB, actually nowadays more focused on cars...) has set out a bunch or re-creative (nice scenery, mainly separate bike lanes) routes throughout the country. The LF are long distance routes through big parts of the Netherlands, for example the LF1 follows the entire coastline. Others usually make a circle and have some theme (like 'fortress' or 'farmland' route), perhaps less useful if you want to get from A to B.. haha. Anyway, the signs of those routes are white and 8-angle shaped, with the name of the route in the middle.

**3 - ''Knooppunten (connection knots) network'': The junctions between different interesting bike lanes (often through nature, or passing old town centers, etc.) are numbered. Someone following the knots can decide the route by following the knots (s)he choses, not on every junction but quite often there is a map on the road for orientation. If you just want to reach some destination using this network might be too slow for your taste.. you can always switch your way of cycling by following again the bigger ways with the city-signs. Be aware that a connection knot network covers a small area (perhaps 400km2) after which a new network (with new numbers start), so if you travel a longer distance you might cross more then ones a junction with the same connection knot number.

links connection knots networks:
- NLs: http://www.fietsersbond.net/fietsrouteplanner/fietsroutes-recreatieveplanner/ (you can chose here if you want to use the knot system, the most direct way or a combination)
- Belgium: http://www.fietsnet.be/routeplanner/
- Germany, county of NordRhein Westfalen: http://www.radroutenplaner.nrw.de/

'''City transport by bus, tram, metro:'''
*For bus, tram and metro and in all of the country you use the same ticket called ''strippenkaart''. However, the Netherlands is in it's transition period to change the paper strippenkaart for a digital public transport card called ''o.v. chip kaart'' (incredible shit and expensive and big brother!), but so far only in Amsterdam and Rotterdam (I believe) you cannot avoid it as you cannot use the old paper strippenkaart system there anymore. But anywhere else you still can. A strippenkaart costs about €7,- and can be bought at each supermarket, cigarette shop, post office or kiosk at the train/bus station. It gives 15 strokes to travel, each ride costs you 2 or more strokes (depending the distance you want to travel), switching vehicles within a certain tima (like 1 hour) allowed. So, a 'strippenkaart' gives the possibility to travel within a city several times or with more ppl on one card and is much cheaper then each time getting a single ticket within the bus/tram. If you only need to take a bus once, then you can also buy a ticket at the driver.
*Bicycles are not allowed inside those buses or trams, they are in the metro but most places don't have any. And besides: why would you like to take a bus if you can be somewhere within short time on your bike?

'''General notes:'''
*At the train stations of quite some cities you can rent a 3 gear bike for €7,50 a day (plus €50 deposit). Especially in the weekend it's best to make a reservation.
Bike rental Maastricht train station: +31 (0)43 3211100 (they keep reservations in stock till 11.00 in the morning).
*Best working hitchhike site for the Netherlands is: http://www.hitchhikers.org/
*Very accurate website to check your public travel within the Netherlands from door to door (or train station): http://www.9292ov.nl/

=Route questions for the rest of Europe=

Who would like to take on the over-view of Belgium ? Laura has it at the moment, but she's going to be on the whole tour, so it might not be so great for it to be just her, since she won't be particularly contactable.

:: For Belgium, google fietsroutenetwork or see http://www.fietsnet.be/routeplanner/ with 18000 km of bikeroutes in Belgium. And I'll ask around in my Maastricht web for Dutch contacts as it seems bt will go through south of limburg - Daniël.

= Route Ideas 2011=

Ideas for 2011 include baltic states, belarus, ukraine, switzerland, italy, greece...If you have ideas for 2011, however crazy, or if you are interested in being a regional or international co-ordinator, please do so on the bt-org or biketour lists, or write to info[at]ecotopiabiketour.net
It's really helpful (for themselves) for people interested in being co-ordinators next year, to join the tour for at least a week this year!
Also contact us if you're interested in doing an EVS (European Voluntary Service) project as the ecotopia biketour.

Route 2010

2010-08-07T14:12:31Z

Globalvegan: /* BELGIUM */

Route 2010

2010-08-06T20:22:06Z

Globalvegan: /* FRANCE */

Route 2010

2010-08-06T18:48:31Z

Globalvegan: /* FRANCE */

Route 2010

2010-07-15T15:05:00Z

Globalvegan: /* UK */

Route 2010

2010-07-15T14:58:24Z

Globalvegan: /* BELGIUM */